Choosing Your Fate
by Pyro and Darnet co
Summary: When all the odds are against you. When people are choosing your fate. People you have never known. Would you survive?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, this is our second Hunger Games fanfiction and we're hoping it's better than the first one. You know, since we want to improve our work so constructive criticism is allowed. We got the name Adric from Doctor Who, so thank you for giving us such an awesome name for him.**

Chapter One: The beginning

"Aria Smith." That's me, obviously. If it wasn't me then there really wouldn't be much story, I'm the only one in my family who has to go to these reapings and I don't have a lot of friends due to my shyness so it's not like there's anyone to stick my hand up and volunteer for. I do have a brother, Leonis, but he's nineteen so he doesn't come to the reapings my mum died giving birth to me and my dad has always been too busy trying to keep food on the table but that's all the family I have, the only people I talk to and even then I normally shouted at them or called them names because they irritated me. I regret that now because I'm going to be a tribute in the Hunger Games, I'm probably going to die. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

"Come on dear, come up here!" Pansy Mills, the peppy escort of District 9 said as the crowd of 15-year-old girls moved apart, destroying my ingenious plan of hiding. I made my way up to the stage, I was trembling but not because I was scared of dying but because of my stage fright. I hate crowds, I hate being the centre of attention and thanks to that damn piece of paper my face was going to be plastered over TV screens everywhere. Pansy grabbed my hand and dragged me up as I reached the top of the stairs, I kind of zoned out the only words really registering being the name of the male tribute, 'Adrien Shaw', I didn't know him but he was about 17 with longish brown hair and honey coloured eyes. He looked relatively strong, not career strong but still. I walked robotically to the Justice building and sat staring at nothing in particular as my dad and Leo burst into the room. They swept me into a bone-crushing hug, one I was not expecting. I would so often lose my temper with them, shouting at them for the most pointless of things and telling them I hated them.

"I'm sorry." I muttered hugging them back

"What? What for?" asked Leo pulling back slightly

"For loosing my temper with you so often, for yelling. I don't hate you!"

"Ssh, it's okay baby, we love you, we always have and always will." Dad said kissing my forehead

"Look, you're fast and from the amount of times you've thrown things at me I'd say your aim's not too bad either. You **can **win this, you just have to try." Leo said, a look of realization passed over dad's face and he reached into his pocket and pulled a necklace out. It was gold and the pendant was a mockingjay.

"This belonged to your mother and I was going to give you it on your 18th birthday but I think now is as good a time as any to give you your Mockingjay." he smiled slightly placing the necklace around my neck.

"Thank you." I said, there were tears in my eyes but I refused to cry. I haven't cried since I was three years old and I was not about to get back into the habit again. Peacekeepers came bursting in at that moment and I was left alone, the necklace was the first thing I'd ever had of my mum's. I got on the train after returning to my zombie-like state, I was desperate to learn as much as I could about winning this. If I could find my mentor I could quiz him about everything and get a head start on Adrien. District 9 only has one victor, he won two years ago at 14. Adric Petrelli was a redheaded wonder, he had chocolate-brown eyes, was insanely smart and obsessed with technology. You'd think he was from district 3. The only problem with my plan was my reluctance to talk to him.

"So how do I win this thing?" asked Adrien at dinner that night, Adric looked up from his meal, he didn't seem to eat very much which would probably explain why he was so skinny.

"You don't die." Adric answered, his voice was deep and full of knowledge far beyond his years.

"Adric!" Pansy took on a scolding tone, one so often used by the mother's in district 9 "We've been over this, you have to **try**! Do you understand what that means? You have to **work** to get one of these two out alive, I know you hate working but honestly Adric this is ridiculous! That drunk from 12 is a better mentor than you!" Adric rolled his eyes and pushed his plate away.

"I'm not hungry." He got up and left the table without another word, something told me he wasn't very social.

"Don't mind him, he's been like that since the first time he got on this train. Never eats anything either, it's a wonder he doesn't starve!" Pansy said

"Has anyone bothered to ask him what's wrong?" I muttered to myself, I never watched the games, I'd just sit with a book when they were on, I only ever payed attention to who won, before Adric we hadn't had a victor since the 10th Hunger Games so I was curious to know if we'd ever have another one and obviously my lack of attention ment I knew nothing about what went on in the games. I knew Adric's dad was the mayor of district 9 and his mother was very old-fashioned and he had no other syblings. Adric went to my school but I never really talked to him, no one did, he kept to himself but often got himself by turning up late for things, in his first year at the reapings he'd sauntered in just before the male tribute was called out. He'd been let off lightly because his dad was the mayor but rumour had it his dad had beaten him with his belt, a large heavy metal that he was notorious for constantly wearing. I never believe rumours though.

"It's Adric Petrelli, you tend to just go with it." Pansy said

"Well if he doesn't start helping us win this soon I might just have to kill him instead of the other 23 tributes!" Adrian laughed, I glared at him. Cocky git. I remembered him from school. Always wanted to be the center of attention, spoilt by his parents. Complete opposite of me.

Eventually we arrived at the Capitol after an extremely uneventful ride. Adric was not seen again after dinner and I tried to stay away from everyone because they all bothered me. Adrien and I were immediately taken to somewhere Pansy called a 'Remake Center', I was introduced to a man with purple hair, purple eyes, lilac skin clad in purple clothes. Guess he liked the colour purple.

"Hello, my name is Leporis Honeyman. I'm going to be your stylist and I'm going to make you look fabulous!" He waved his arms around excitedly "Now you're young so we'll work on your cuteness level! Crysabell has already decided that your partner will go for the macho look. And we were thinking silver! Such a wonderful colour silver, nothing on purple of course but still pretty wonderful right?"

"What does silver have to do with grain?" I asked quietly making myself sound nervous.

"It's not about grain darling, it's about fashion!"

"But it's supposed to represent our district."

"Listen, I'm just here to make sure people remember you! Goodness knows we don't want a repeat of the last few years! District 9 looked absolutely terrible especially last year and the year before that!" The year before that? That was the year Adric had won, I'd never bothered to watch the chariot ride, I wonder what they had to wear? Whatever it was I really hope mine is better or I'll be royally screwed.

I was dressed in a flowy silver sun dress with an abnormally large silver bow in my hair, my hair was curled into small ringlets and put into bunches. Adorable was the word Pansy had the misfortune of using in my presence. I glared at her until I left in the chariot with Adrien. He was in a silver suit with his hair combed and looking all smartish. My eyes met a sea of people, flashing lights and cheering at us. Adrien was waving at the smiling, I didn't know what to do, I had never seen so many people. I looked around at the strange painted faces, with their horrid wigs, do I wave? Everybody else seems to be, so very shyly I waved my hand. This was met with another cheer, so I was doing the right thing! I looked to see my face a the big screen, well my face was on the screen until district 12 came out, fire following them. Honeyman is so not going to be happy. They clasped hands and held them in the air, the crowd went nuts, cheering nd throwing stuff at them, I am royally screwed in my odds of winning already, why do they have to make it smaller! We reached to end of the road, Snow stood up to address us. He welcomed us and to be perfectly honest with you I zoned out. The chariots were taken away, and we arrived at the Training Centre, were we would stay for the rest of the games.

We went to the ninth floor and I immedietly went to my room, it was large and the window was amazing, I let it stay on the image of the forest. Most of the other images had water in them, I hated water, it terrified me, especially in large quantities. I changed into a top and trousers before walking out for dinner.

Adric was late, which didn't really surprise me because as I've told you he has a tendency to do that. Adrien and I sat down at the table and started eating, Pansy sat and complained about Adric and his lateness and often wondered out loud what was taking him so long or where he was. About halfway through the dinner Adric wandered in, he was slouching as he walked (slouching seems to be his specialty since that's what he managed to do regardless of what he was doing or where he was), he flopped into a chair and started eating a small slice of whatever it was that was on the table. He began to chew it slowly as Pansy scolded him, I was begining to see a pattern. Adrien coughed loudly and we turned to look at him, he flashed a smiled and I rolled my eyes.

"So Adric..." Adrien was older than Adric age wise, by mentality wise he was as smart as a two-year old, "How do you find shelter?" I looked at Adric, he rolled his eyes.

"Any idiot can find a place to sleep." He said, this clearly wasn't the answer Adrien was wanting,

"How do we stay warm?" He tried again, Adric snorted,

"You don't, freezing comes with the games."

"But I can light a fire." Adrien looked irritated, it amused me.

"Well that's an easy way to get killed, you wouldn't last the first hour." Adric stood up and left, at least he'd given us some information. Pansy went on a long rant about how rude he was, I thought now was as good a time as any to zone out. The next day Pansy took us to the lift, we went down to the Training Center. This is where we would train for three days, the sponsors watching us carefully. I bit my lip, looking at everyone, the careers looked too full of themselves for my liking. We listened to a woman talking to us about training and things but I wasn't really listening. I decided to go to the survival station, I stayed quiet and tried to keep out of the way. The highlight of the morning was when the district 11 girl, Rue I think her name was, stole the district 2 male's knife and causing a small fight scene between him and the district 6 male.

I went to lunch and continued to stick to myself, that is until I was joined at my lunch table by the district 11 male. He seemed to be quiet like me so I thought nothing of it. We got on, Thresh and I, we didn't need words because we were both happy to just sit in silence. For the rest of the afternoon I stuck to the edible plants bit, it would come in handy. Dinner went by with Adric turning up late and Adrien asking him about what to do in the games and Adric answering in his annoying way. After eating one potato Adric had left and I was growing increasingly angry with him. He was impossible, this was my **life **on the line here! I stood up and followed him back to his room, his room was pretty much the same as mine but his window was on a picture of a grain field. Adric was sitting on his bed with a box of melted toffee next to him and a spoon in his mouth as he stared at the window, he looked a lot younger.

"What do you want?" he asked not moving his eyes away from the window.

"Just to talk to you." I said sitting next to him

"About what?" he scooped up a spoonful of the toffee and put the spoon back in his mouth, was this seriously all he ate?

"A few things, first off do you want us to die? Why won't you help us?"

"I didn't get a proper mentor and I still won." Adric said eating another spoonful of toffee

"But we do and we want your help! You could at least pretend to care about us!"  
"The games aren't about whether your mentor helps or not, it's about how many people **like **you! If you're not a very likable person then you're screwed, angel." He said

"Don't call me that!" I snapped, I hated pet names, especially when the person using it is not on my friend list.

"What's that matter? Would you prefer darling? Maybe sweetheart suits you better?" He put on a taunting tone, one that made you feel as if he were superior due to the knowledge and depth of his voice. It took all my self control not to lunge at him.

"Shut. Up." I snarled "You don't help us, you just sit in here eating toffee all day! It's a wonder you don't have cavities! Perhaps you should pay less attention to your window more to your health and your tributes!"

"My health is fine thank you, I eat foods other than toffee but it seems that through my time in the Capitol I've developed a slight craving for it," Adric stated calmly "And as I've already explained to you, I. Can't. Help. You."

"Yes you can! You can tell us how to survive in the early stages, how to impress the gamemakers, how to get people to like us, you can get us sponsors!" I shrieked waving my arms around to emphasize my point.

"Look, all you have to do is get people to like you out here and don't do anything stupid in there, it's as simple as that." he said rolling his eyes

"Fine then, what if I ask you what you'd do in a situation and you answer, will that work?"

"Why don't you tell me." he put some more toffee in his mouth, smiling slightly at the taste. He looked like a little kid.

"Okay then, if you're freezing to death how do you keep yourself alive?"

"If sponsors like you then maybe your mentor will be nice enough to send you something."

"Fine! Since all your answers seem to revolve around sponsors and being liked tell me how, how do you make people like you?" I was loosing my temper but Adric was **really** getting on my nerves.

"I wouldn't know, I've never been any good at making people like me. Perhaps you should try to copy Adrien or ask Pansy what she'd do." Again he ate some toffee.

"But... If you're not good at making people like you then how did you get sponsors?" he suddenly spun around to face me and grabbed my shoulders, it kind of hurt. Guess he's stronger than he looks.

"I'm never going talk about me or my games, do not ask me about either of them again, do you understand?" His face was right in front of mine, our noses almost touching. He looked angry, really angry.

"A-Adric?" I questioned "Are-Are you okay?" Realization flashed across his face and the grip on my shoulders disappeared.

"Just leave and never mention what happened in my games, you'd think watching them would be enough but no! You have to quiz me on them too." He was rambling

"I never watched your games, any of the games." I said quietly

"Then pretend mine never happened and just leave." He went back to his toffee, I didn't need telling twice and left the room immediately.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two: The...em...Insident

I glared at Adric. A whole day had passed since I had tried to talk to him about helping us and now my shock at his outburst had been replaced with anger. He was sitting across from me at dinner, Pansy had told him he wasn't allowed to leave the table until we were all finished which gave me the perfect opportunity to glare at him.

"So do you think I should form any alliances?" Adrien asked, he'd been trying to get him to talk all through dinner but Adric had just sat there rolling his food around his plate and ocasionaly glancing up at me. Whether it was to see if I was still glaring at him or to try to apologize in a bizarre Adricish way I don't know and I don't care.

"For goodness sake Adric!" Pansy exclaimed "You're supposed to be helping them! The **least **you could do is give them some advice!" Adric glared at her before returning to his game of foodball. The table sat in silence for another ten minutes. I glared at Adric the whole time before he finally snapped.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Adric yelled glaring at me "Is that the only expression you've got? Is there a reason why you keep staring or are you just insane?"

"Says the boy who has a temper tantrum at the mention of his own games!" I yelled back

"What did I tell you about that?"

"Your Games! Your Games! Your Games! Your Games! Your Games! 72nd Hunger Games! 72nd Hunger Games! 72nd Hunger Games! 72nd Hunger Games! 72nd Hunger Games!" He tipped the table, sending me and Pansy to the ground, then stormed off to his room. I ran after him, seething, at this present moment I was seriously considering murder. I stormed into his room as he glared at me from his bed.

"Leave, this is my room!"

"No!" I yelled, he cracked his knuckles,

"What do you want me to do Angel!" Yelled.

"One, don't call me Angel and TWO, Help us you...you...Clotpole!" I said accusingly

"Really, **Angel**, really? Clotpole?" he raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"Yes, you are the biggest Clotpole of them all and call me Angel one more time and I will not be help responsible for my actions!"

"Angel, Angel, Angel, Ang..." He didn't get to finish his sentence, I was so mad, so mad at him for leaving me defenseless, so mad at him for not listening to me, I was mad at the Captiol for putting us both through this, but, most of all I was mad at myself, mad at myself for loosing my temper and falling into the trap. I lunged at him, pinning him to the ground. I could hear Pansy screaming on Adrien to come help. I was seeing red, Adric looked shocked at first, but seemed to recover and was glaring up at me, I made to punch him, but as my luck would have it, he caught my hand. He rolled me over so now, I was trapped. I let out a scream and tried to move, but he was way too heavy! A smirk was on his lips, mocking me, I glared at him, letting him know that I wasn't intimidated. "Calm. Down." He said, I wanted to scream 'no!' at him but somehow I doubt that would help the situation in any way.

"Adric let her go and stop behaving like a child!" Pansy scolded

"Wha- Me? I'm the victim here!" Adric said, his grip on my wrists tightened

"Adric. Adric. Adric. Adric. Adric." I said

"What?" he snapped

"Ow." I said

"Sorry." he let go and stood up holding out a hand, I glared at it before accepting.

"Ow, Adric, ow. I'll get you for that."

"I said I was sorry!" he shrugged,

"Aria, just go to bed." Pansy said, with one last glare at Adric I left the room.

The next day I woke up, I went to sit up and winced in pain. I looked down at my wrists and saw bruises in the shape of hand marks. I bit my lip, this was not going to help me and my odds. I dressed with difficulty as the bruises flamed, I walked out, Pansy glaring at me, she gasped looking at my hands.

"Aria, your wrists!" She exclaimed, holding her hands to her mouth. Adric looked up, then at my wrists, his mouth created an O shaped. He slowly slid down in his seat, I shrugged and sat down. I went to pick up a fork,

"ow!" I said, glaring at the fork as if it was its fault.

"Aria, shouldn't you be glaring at Adric? Rather than the fork?" Adrien said,

"Don't tell her that!" Adric hissed,

"Oh so you are talking to me now?" Adrien asked,

"Maybe...?" Adric said looking down at his plate. A lightbulb went off in my head!

"Adric?" I said,

"Yes...?" He said wearily,

"Since you have caused me such great pain, can you help me now." Cue puppy dog eyes, and yes he was a goner.

"Damnit, guilt trip with puppy dog eyes, why me?" He said looking up at the ceiling,

"Does that mean you'll do it?"

"Fine! But it isn't because of those reasons, it's because I want to!" He declared, Adrien looked up,

"Both of us?"

"I can only do so much!" He said, "And I am obviously going to help her!"

"Why obviously?" I asked,

"Because...emmmm...Because...you're younger!" He said,

"Something tells me that isn't the real reason." Adrien said, glaring at me.

"My wrists hurt!" I said, before another argument started.

"Awww poor Ang..." Adric stopped as soon as I glared at him. "...el" I rolled my eyes,

Pansy had gotten stuff to help my wrists, I was in the training centre, next to Thresh. He kept looking at me out of the corner of his eye, it was weird.

"Aria?" I nearly jumped a foot in the air at hearing his voice, my brain had somehow made up that he didn't have one.

"Yeah." I said recovering from the shock quickly,

"What do you say about becoming allies, stronger as a team, right?" I thought about this for all of a millisecond.

"becoming Allies would be great." I said, smiling a little. Thresh grinned and went back to whatever he does. I stuck to the rope station, learing how to set snears and stuff. I found it quite interesting learning all the different techniques. The scoring thingy was tonight and I had no idea what I was going to do, I was going with the old back up plan, it was called winging it.

I stood in the middle of the room, the gamemakers with the weird pointed beards and cold eyes staring at me. I stood there, changing from one foot, to the other.

"Aria Smith, District nine." I said, I looked around, for some inspiration of some sort. I found the knifes, Leo's words ringing in my ears. I picked one up and threw it, dead centre on the dummy. I did this a couple of times and walked out.

We all sat around the T.V screen, Adric was hunched over, staring at it intently as the numbers flashed. I bit my lip, my wrists were better now, Pansy had given me weird gloopy stuff that helped. Adrien's face appeared, a big shiny nine appeared and Pansy clapped. I wasn't taking any noise in really, as soon as I saw myself staring back at me I went deadly still. Adric had done the same, his eyebrows knitted. I let out a breathe as a seven appeared, so I had done ok, not brilliant but not terribly.

"Thank god you didn't get a one." Adric muttered

"You thought I would?" I questioned, glaring at him

"No offence Angel, but you don't look much like a victor at the moment." He smirked at me.

"What did I say about calling me that?" I asked

"Hey, I'm your only chance of surviving, I'd be nice if I were you!" I crossed my arms and glared at him.

"You're a sucky mentor." I muttered

"Mature, Aria real mature." Adric shook his head, smiling slightly. I grinned.

I stood, fidgiting in the stupid dress Honeyman had me in. It had long sleeves on, so people couldn't see my battle scars. Adric was pacing, muttering incoherently. He'd stop every few seconds, tilt his head at me then shake his head and start the whole cycle over again.

"Quit it, you're putting me on edge!"

"Maybe if you were a nicer person I wouldn't have to!"

"Says the person who gave me these!" I held up my wrists

"You can bairly see them!"  
"They're still bruises caused by you!"  
"Aww, do you want me to kiss them better Angel?" He asked mockingly

"No!" I snapped quickly putting my hands behind my back

"Then quit complaining, it was your own fault anyway."

"How was it my fault?"

"Who attacked me?"

"Who knocked the table over?"

"Who talked about my games?"

"Who constantly called me Angel when I told you not to?"

"Who glared at me all through dinner?"

"Who acted like a complete dolop head?"

"Who's an annoying midget who doesn't know when to shut up?"

"Why you little-"

"Coming from the munchkin?"

"I'm gonna-"

"Good luck Aria." I heard Thresh mutter from behind me, I spun around to see him walking back to his place in line

"You too!" I shouted back

"Who was that?" here comes over protective Adric

"Eh, Thresh?" I said, why he had suddenly gone all big brother on me I have no idea but if he's anything like Leo I ain't taking any chances.

"And why would he say good luck to you?"

"Because we're allies." I muttered, Adric tilted his head and stared at me before saying,

"What do you know, the girl has a brain."

"Why you- Did you think I didn't you- unbelievable, you're such a... a... a..." I said jumping up and down waving my arms around attracting quite a bit of attention. Adric just pulled my arms down and muttered a quiet

"Shut up and be nice." In my ear before stalking off to the other victors, sending two-fingered salute my way as he left. I glared at him. Sighing I marched to my place, manged to put on a smile, even if it was fake and walked out onto the stage. Flickerman shook my hand, lightly as he had been told about the...em...insident.

"Welcome, now Aria, this must be a big change from District 9, tell me what do you think is the biggest change?" he asks, my eyes scan the crowd looking for a friendly face or at least, one I recognise and finally settled on Adric. He caught my eyes and gave me a look clearly saying 'don't mess up'

"There's no grain." I said plainly, he laughed along with a few members of the audience.

"There's no grain." He repeated,

"Eh yeah, I just said that." I stated looking at him strangely, the crowd laughed again.

"So a seven, that's a pretty good score for someone so small." I wanted to yell 'I'm 15 you (insert word of the moment here)!' but one glare from Adric and I quickly went against that idea.

"Well, my brother said I was good at aiming so I kinda went with that idea." I said

"How does he know you're good at aiming?" he asked kindly

"Well when we argue, which we do, a lot, I would snap he would shout and I would throw various inanimate objects perfectly on target." True story

"Was your brother alright?"

"Oh yeah, it was just pillows and stuff." I said, then added quietly "And a vase once." Flickerman laughed along with the audience. Again. I looked out at him and was blessed with a miracle, the thumbs up from Adric.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The beginning

When the interviews were over we went for dinner and I was surprised to find myself face to face with a grinning Adric Petrelli.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked, unable to stop myself from grinning at the sight. What can I say? The boy's smile was infectious.

"You weren't that bad in your interview, you somehow managed to make me laugh."

"Seriously? **I **made **you **laugh? I totally deserve a medal for that!" I said jumping up and down. Childish, I know.

"Well I can't get you a medal but I can definatly get you some sponsors with that performance." We grinned at each other before Pansy's yell echoed through the room.

"Come on you two! Dinner!"

After dinner we watched the reply of the interviews, I was awesome, if I do say so myself. Tomorrow I would be going into the games. It was real now, it didn't seem so far away any more. I couldn't sleep at all, around two I'd made my way to the living room and just sat there staring out the window. I'm not really sure how long I did that but I was startled when the unique voice of Adric broke the silence.

"You really should get some sleep you know."

"So should you!" I countered

"You're going... You know... In there tomorrow!"

"Really, you can't even say it?" I almost laughed at him

"Shut up." He muttered grinning

"You need to get me my sponsors!"

"Yeah, I know. But I don't need sleep to get you sponsors. You were pretty good at your interview and I'm just too awesome **not **to get you sponsors!" He sat down next to me.

"Oh, you think so?"

"I don't think, I know."

"Course you are, I believe you completely!" Sarcasm by the way. If anyone's interested. Or not. You know, feel free not to care or whatever.

"Back to the topic of you sleeping."

"I can't." I looked back out the window

"Why not?"

"Why do you think?"

"Really? Is the great Aria Smith scared?"

"Terrified." My voice was barely a whisper but I'm pretty sure Adric heard me. I felt his arms awkwardly pull me into a hug but strangely it felt sort of... Comforting. I rested my head on his shoulder and he stroked my hair trying to reassure me about tomorrow.

"You can win, if you try. I know you can. Your age doesn't matter, your size could put you at an advantage. You're fast and you have a good aim. Just try and I promise I'll get you out, okay?" He sounded sincere, something I had hardly ever heard him be. Almost every time anyone ever talked to Adric, both before and after his games, his reply was a lie. He was like the master of lies, lies truly were his mastering. In school I had often wondered if he could even tell what was true and what he'd made up in his head, they were so believable. But right here, right now, Adric Petrelli was making a promise he seemed intent on keeping.

Of course me being me couldn't form words to express my gratitude or even a mocking gesture, all I could manage in my current state was to snuggle closer to him and somehow fall asleep. He's gonna annoy me about this forever if I win.

I woke up with a start the next day, I'd had a dream about the games and when I say dream I mean nightmare. The first thing I registered was the fact I was not in my room. Where the hell am I? No, wait I recognise this room, it's Adric's bedroom. Oh god, I'm in Adric's bed. That sounds weird, I am never saying that again.

"Adric Petrelli GET UP RIGHT NOW!" Pansy yelled, there was a loud crash as, what I assume is Adric, fell to the floor. I got out of the bed and wandered into the room from which the crash came from. Pansy looked as stupid as ever and was glaring angrily at Adric who was lying on the floor next to the couch, his hair looked like a bird's nest.

"What's going on?" I asked, Pansy spun around and looked from me to Adric to his bedroom door.

"Someone care to explain what happened last night?" Pansy asked returning to glare at Adric.

"That's what I'm trying to find out!" I said

"You can't remember? Adric WHAT DID YOU DO?" Pansy yelled

"Nothin'! She was scared and I comforted her for reasons that are my own so don't ask what they are!"

"I don't remember that." I said

"How did you comfort her? What form of comfort could cause her to end up in your bed? Surely she'd go back to her own room!"

"She fell asleep! Geese, why would we-I don't even-What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I have no idea what you two are on about." I stated

"See? She's like a baby! That's just gross!" Adric yelled

"I am not baby!" I yelled, "Nor am I like one!" His reply came in the form of a glare.

"As if you care how nieve she is, god knows you need a girlfriend!" Pansy said, that's when it clicked,

"Eeewww! Gross, I agree with Adric, I'm sorry but I agree with the devil!"

"I am **not **the devil but I agree with rest of your statement. As for you," He rounded on Pansy "I do **not **need a girlfriend, take it back! I don't want one nor need one and girls... SUCK go-go bother someone else with your romantic needs!" He then stormed off to his room and slammed the door before opening it again and yelling "I want new sheets!"

"Real mature." I muttered, then I remembered something. I was going into the arena this morning. Things suddenly became a lot more serious. I stood wide-eyed, staring at Adric's door, that could be the last conversation I ever have with him. Pansy noticed my sudden change,

"Now look what you did Adric!" Of course she'd blame him,

"What did I do this time?" He asked angrily opening the door, "Aria?"

"I'm...The..." I couldn't say it, it would become real then, real for me, not some nightmare I would make from. The puzzle pieces connected in Adric's brain.

"The games." He muttered, he took a step towards me and I was kinda surprised when he hugged me, it pulled me out of my daze a bit and I remembered what had happened last night. "I'm sorry, I've told you before and I'll tell you again. You. Can. Win." Adric whispered.

The rest of my morning went by like a blur, I couldn't register anything going on around me, my movements were robotic, like I wasn't real, like I was being controled by someone else. I vaguely registered Thresh's voice in my ear. We were getting our trackers put in at that moment.

"The cornucopia is a blood bath, I've watched the games all my life and that's it's purpose. You're not particularly strong so just run to somewhere you think is safe. I'll get whatever we need you just find somewhere safe, okay?" he said, I nodded.

I heard Honeyman's voice telling me how great I looked. I saw him put my mother's necklace around my neck but it was as though I was watching Honeyman put the necklace on some other girl. I watched her make her way towards the entrance to the games, her long dark hair pulled into a high pony tail, her green eyes looked impossibly dark due to the lack of life in them. She seemed lost. Then the world rushed by and suddenly there was the sound telling me the games had begun. I searched frantically around, I saw Thresh near the cornucopia and the girl from 12, Katniss, holding a rucksack up to protect herself from the girl from 2, Clove. Then I noticed the boy from 1, Marvel, heading towards me, spear in hand. I looked around and saw a large field of grain. Perfect. I grew up in grain, grain I could deal with.

I ran for the field, narrowly avoiding the spear Marvel threw at me, and weaved my way through the grain in the hopes that no one other than Thresh had noticed. The grain was long and hard to see through, I looked for a tree or something I could use to find a clearing or see where Thresh was but before I could react there was a rustling sound from behind me, I spun around and gave a sigh of relief as Thresh came into view.

"Thank god it's you." I said

"Grain. Good choice, now we have to find a water source." Thresh said, he had gotten a hold of a blue backpack, a curved sword and a water container.

"That's why I'm looking for a tree to climb, give me a nice view of area." I continued my search for a tall, climbable thing. Thresh and I walked around the field, me looking for water or clearings and Thresh making sure there were no other tributes until we came across both a tree and a clearing. Lucky.

The clearing was basically a large hollow tree surrounded by nothing.

"I could climb up there provided I don't fall through it." I muttered making my way towards the tree as Thresh set about hiding our things inside the tree. I climbed, making sure I didn't fall through the thing. As I reached the top I could see all over the arena, it would have been beautiful if it wasn't for the whole killing each other problem. I saw the Cornucopia right in the centre, the Careers swarming around it like bees in a hive. I looked a little further, there were trees everywhere, the rest of the remaining tributes had fled there. I turned, there was a big lake, it was miles away from us. Biting my lip I looked amount the grain hoping to find some sigh of water. Then I saw it, a dazzling blue breaking the sea of yellow, I smiled climbing down. "There is a stream not too far from here, we can get there in about ten minutes." Thresh looked up,

"How can you tell?"

"I grew up with grain, grain is my thing." I shrugged and started to walk.

It wasn't to long a walk when we came to the stream, I let Thresh fill up the water holder as I looked around, I was starting to worry about why the careers hadn't started to hunt us down. Thresh walked back handing me a container of purified water,

"Here, let's head back to the tree, it will be good for shelter." He said nodding toward it.

"Ok, we need to stay undercover, the careers could be here any minute." Once at the tree we started to look in the rucksack, Thresh had done well. There was one sleeping back, we could possibly use it to cover both of us. The water containers we were using, socks (yes socks!) some rope, matches which would be great for when we need a fire, a blue thingy, possibly to help us build a shelter and some weird food substance.

"You use the sleeping bag, I'll keep watch." Thresh said,

"We'll take it in turns, it's only fair." I sat there, making our tree up, making it as comfortable as possible, camouflaging the blue thing so we wouldn't get wet, I decided against a fire, not on the first night anyway. I curled up in the sleeping bag, watching Thresh's back as my eyes finally closed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Winner of the 74th Hunger Games

Have you ever been bored? Like so bored you'd find maths fun? Or your brain goes on autopilot and drags you through the day? Yeah, times that by a million and you'll find out how bored I am at the moment. This could come as a shock considering someone could run in and kill me at any moment but apparently Thresh plus grain equals no threats. I let out a sigh, I knew the gamemakers would know this, no deaths had happened in a while. Rue had died, I'd seen her face in the sky last night, Thresh had stayed silent, but I could see the hurt in his eyes, his body language had changed. 11 of us had died on the first day and more afterwards there's only eight of us left now, me, Thresh, Cato, Clove, Katniss, Peeta, the girl from five and Adrien. We kept moving during the day, then back tracked to our tree, where we took it in turns to guard. Thresh and I had become close, he was like my second brother. My brain had screamed at me for becoming close to him, it told me that either him or me would die. I just couldn't not become close to him, he had my back, I had his. Adric hadn't had to help me yet, with Thresh and out hiding space we had it pretty good, this wouldn't make the gamemakers happy, we were not giving them the entertainment they so desperately craved. Groaning I trudged threw the landscape I could navigate off by heart, Thresh rolled his eyes,

"Come on Aria, keep up!" He yelled. I stuck my tounge out at him, I heard a soft chuckle.

"I give up! Carry me!" I yelled back

"Just put one foot in front of the other and you'll be fine." he said without turning around, I glared at him for about a minute before returning to my request for a rest.

"Oh, the heat!" I closed my eyes and put one hand on my forehead and spun around before 'falling' to the ground. I opened one eye to find an amused Thresh staring at me. "Alright alright, I'm coming. Geese, talk about slave-driving!" He raised an eyebrow

"Are you always like this."

"Ask Adric, he knows everything." I muttered

"Really?"

"Well he seems to think he does, I disagree but if he want's to convince himself otherwise then who am I to stop him?" I shrugged "He claims that I'm annoying, I mean ME! Annoying, what an idiot!"

"I can't imagine why he'd think that." Thresh muttered

"I can hear ya you know."

"I take it you two don't get on then?"

"We get on alright but we tend to argue. A lot. I mean the guy threw a table at me once!" Thresh turned in surprise,

"How did he throw a table at you?"

"He put his hands on a table and lifted it and threw it, you know, the same way you'd throw anything else."

"Yeah but have you seen the guy? He's like a ginger string bean!" I giggled at that comment.

"Oh, he won't thank you for that one. He's a lot stronger than he looks, must be all that toffee he eats."

"Toffee?"

"That's like all he eats, seriously, he comes in for dinner and eats like a potato or something then sits in his room all night eating toffee. The only time he really does anything else is when you mention. He goes mad when you do, gave me bruises and everything!" I held up my wrists for emphasis,

"You never watched his games did you?" Thresh asked

"I never watch any games, I don't get the entertainment part of it, I just sort of zone out when they come on."

"Explains a lot," I was about to answer him when Claudius Templesmith started to talk.

"Attention tributes. Attention. The regulations acquiring a single victor has been suspended. From now on, two victors may be crowned if both originate from the same district. This will be the only announcement."

"But they never change the rules, especially not halfway through." Thresh muttered

"They must be up to something."

"Question is, what?" I didn't reply.

I have no idea how long we'd been in here, it seems the Gamemakers can choose when the sun sets and rises, but what I did know was they were going to make something happen soon. They'd strategically given everyone, both inside and outside the arena, time to get used to the new rule but things were getting boring. No one had died since Rue and while the rule change had made things a little more interesting and put the stakes higher, the Capitol must be aching for some blood. To make matters worse, the stream we had been using as a water source had dried up and Adric still hadn't sent us anything.

As usual I was right.

"Attention, tributes. Attention. Commencing at sunrise, there will be a feast tomorrow at the Cornucopia." Claudius Templesmith's voice woke me from my sleep, "Now hold on. Some of you may be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you needs something desperately. Each of you will find that something in a backpack marked with your district number, at the Cornucopia, at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance."

"And that would be why our water source evaporated over night." I sighed

"Well, we'll have to go..." Thresh said

"What! Are you mad! No! I have a much better way." I stood up looking at the clear blue sky, "OI! CLOTPOLE! WATER IS REQUIRED!" I sat on the ground, lying down in the grain. "Now we wait." Thresh looked at the sky, as if he expected it to explode. We waited for ten minutes, then a beeping noise was heard. I stood up quickly, there was a parachute. "I call opening it!" I said childishly, Thresh rolled his eyes at me, I smiled. I took the metal container in my hand, a piece of paper fell to the ground, Meh read that later, for now I need water. I opened the pod, looking inside with egar eyes I saw, soup. Unless I was mistaken I had pacifically asked for water!

"What is it?" Asked Thresh.

"Soup! Soup! I don't want soup!" I picked up the piece of paper that I had dismissed,

_look, I am not allowed to give you water Angel, that's what is in both Thersh's and your bags. Soup is a liquid, deal with it. You're doing great, just don't get killed. _

_-A. P.S never call me a Clotpole again. _

"WHY DO I EVEN BOTHER ASKING YOU FOR HELP **CLOTPOLE**!" I yelled, Thresh gave me the 'shut it or I'll make you' look, being smart I ignored him and went on a long, loud rant about how annoying 'A' was. After I had finished my rant, which had taken a while, Thresh and I sat down and disguised plans. After a long amount of arguing Thresh finally came up with a good one.

"You scout around in the grain, I run in, grab the bags, then we leave as fast as possible." I nodded, tomorrow was going to be tough.

Thresh and I walked through the sea of grain, we knew every route, every turn, every place to hide. The grain was our sanctuary in this sick twisted place. As the grain thinned we saw the gleaming cornucopia. Thresh turned looking at me,

"Remember, don't come out unless absolutely necessary." I nodded and watched him head off further without me. I got into place in the grain, lying flat on my stomach. I waited for what felt like hours, then the yelling started. "SAY HER NAME!" Thresh's voice boomed,

"CATO, CATO!" Clove's terrified voice rang out, a loud bang was heard. I didn't know what had happened, was Thersh alright? Had he killed Clove? I stood up and walked so I could see what was going on. Clove was lying lifeless on the ground, Katniss was running with her bag, Thresh was about to grab both of ours when Adrien came out charging, Thresh hadn't seen. I bolted, my sight purely of Adrien. I ran into him, knocking him to the ground. I think it was the surprise that did it. I got up quickly as Adrien stood up. He laughed, it was a crazy sort of laugh. He pointed his sword at me, I took a step back, never taking my eyes of the monster.

"Awwww look, little Angel's come to save the day!" He laughed again, wherever Cato was he was staying quite. "You think Adric cares about you? Have you seen his games? He's cold and heartless. And you're just path-" Adrien never finished his sentence, Thresh had speared him with his sword, I turned as if on autopilot and ran to Clove, picking up her knifes and running along side Thresh, we had gotten our water. for now we where safe.

Four of us where now left, four. District twelve's boy had been wiped out, along with the girl from five. Now only Thresh, Katniss, Cato and I remained. Night quickly fell, taking all hope I had of surviving with it. They wanted to finish the games quickly, now was the time when everything changed. Thresh and I were still in the grain, nervously weaving our way through it, our sanctuary was no longer safe. A howl was heard, Thresh and I looked at each other.

"Run!" He yelled. We ran, grain hitting our faces, causing nasty scrapes on our faces and arms. We could hear the hungry howling of what ever horror had been unleashed on us behind. I was a head, seeing the clearing, I reached it the howling had stopped.

"Thresh we did, we got..." I turned to Thresh, only one thing was wrong, Thresh wasn't there. Panick kicked in "THRESH!" I ran back through the grain, searching wildly, "Thresh! Thresh answer me damnit!" The noise that I heard next would haunt me in my nightmares forever. A bloody curdling scream rang out through the grain, I knew it was Thresh. I bolted in the direction I had heard it. "THRESH! THRESH!" howling started along with the sound of bones being crushed. I saw Thresh finally, along with a vicious pack of snarling, man eating mutts. I ran to him.

"Aria! No! Stay back! Win! Win!" I saw Thresh's face, the kind hearted face I was so used to seeing was cruely snatched away. I mutts giant claw grabbed Thresh's skin, peeling it away from his skull. I could see his skull, with a mixture of blood and flesh, He fell to the ground, a lifeless heap. I ran, heading for the cornucopia. I could hear the mutts following me. As I reached the clearing I saw Katniss, Cato coming out from the other side. I was going to die, either by the mutts or by a kid. Cato was now behind me, throwing his knife. I ducked with a scream. The knife missed my head by meer centimeters. Katniss wasn't so lucky, it struck her in the heart. Blood splattered on my face as I jumped onto the cornucopia, Just missing the Mutts. I was breathing hard as I watched the man killers, Thresh's killers circle my pedestal. A loud bang came from behind me, I turned. It was like something out of a horror movie. I watched Cato stand up straight. A cut, oozing with blood on his face. He stumbled a bit, smiling evilly at me,

"This is all I have to fight to become a victor, a pathetic. Little. Girl." I took a step back as he took a step forward. It was like some evil cat and mouse game. He let out a roar and charged. I fell with a scream as Cato got dangerously close. I did the first thing that came into my mind. I kicked him where no boy should. He hunched over and with one side sweep he fell from the cornucopia. He died, just like Thresh. The mutt's cleared and it finally hit me, I had won, I had won and Thresh had died. To say I broke down would be an understatement. As I cried, screamed, chucked things, Claudius Templesmith's voice rang out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the 74th Hunger Games, Aria Smith."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Deja Vu

Beep, Beep, Beep.

My eyes fluttered open, whiteness surrounded me. I closed them again quickly. When I opened them again my world was blurry. As it came into focus I sat up, where was Thresh? Where was I? I turned my legs so they were hanging off my metal bed. The too big gown falling to my knees, my brow furrowed as I looked around. Why was I in different clothing? Why wasn't I in my tree? I started to walk, keeping my arms in the fighting position, I saw a shadow walking toward me, I reacted fast. With one movement I had the stranger pinned against a wall, only it wasn't a stranger, it was Adric.

"Calm down Angel, it's only me. You won, you're out of the games, just like I told you." He said. Realization dawned on me, Thresh's death replayed in my mind, my eyes went wide and tears formed before I could stop them. "Aria? You okay?" I couldn't speak, Tears just rolled down my cheeks, I may have won but it was at a price. I slid down the wall, Adric's arms wrapped around me, one hand stroking my hair. "Shhhh, it's okay Angel, it's okay, I've got you, you're safe now" He whispered rocking me back and forth. I hugged him close, even if I did want to yell that it wasn't ok, that Thresh was dead. He picked me up the way you would a bride, he carried me down the corridors I had walked and back to the room I had awakened in. I turned my head, Pansy was pacing.

"Adric! Thank heavens you found her, everyone was having a fit looking for her." I put my head on Adric's shoulder, too tired to speak.

"She decided to take a walk, don't think she realized she was out of the games." Adric said as he placed me gently on the bed.

"Well she's safe now, no need for her to take a walk." Pansy sighed "At least she didn't do the same thing you did."

"Yeah, you don't need another mental victor." said Adric, rolling his eyes. I looked questioningly at him, what did he do? "Don't look at me like that" I didn't have the energy or the willpower to say anything but decided to question him later, we'd probably be seeing a lot more of each other now seeing as we're going to be neighbours.

"Come on Adric, we should let her have some rest." Pansy said refusing to comment on the words of the 'mental victor'.

"Yeah, just give me a minute." Adric answered shooing Pansy out of the room. As soon as she was gone, he sat on the bed, "I know you don't want to talk but I have to ask, do you remember what you said as you won the games, you know, just as Templesmith announced you were the victor?" I shook my head, I didn't remember what I said, I was too concerned with the fact that one of my few friends had been killed right in front of me.

Adric sighed, "I told you before you went in, **don't do anything stupid**. When you won you yelled just about every insulting thing anyone you think of at the Capitol on live television. Needless to say the Capitol was not pleased, neither was President Snow. He is going to try to make your life a living hell, he may even go after your family. The only way I can think of for you to actually get you and those you care about a decent existence is to play innocent. We both know you ment what you said, maybe not to say them out loud but you do believe all of it, as do most of the people in the districts. The thing is, if you can convince them that you **didn't **mean what you said then perhaps he'll let you away with it, when your interview comes make sure they think you didn't mean what you said, it was a moment of pure grief and frustration. Do. Not. Let. Them. Win."

I listened to him, realizing for the first time that the games would never be over. It doesn't matter if you win, it doesn't even matter if you get reaped or not, the only people who escape the games are those who are killed during them. All of us are a part of the games. Those of us in the districts are like pawns in a game of chess, expendable, while Snow is like both the king and the queen, powerful and important but not invincible. He can be defeated, just like the king or queen and it can be done by those of us in the districts, if we have enough, if we have protection and he doesn't, it's all about knowing how to play.

Purple. Of course it's **purple** Honeyman chooses to dress me in for the stupid interview. A knee length purple dress, sleeves that just reach my elbows, purple flats and my 'signature' bow. Everytime I appeared on television before the games, Honeyman made me wear a bow so **obviously **I have to continue wearing them.

"Remember what I told you. It was a moment of pure grief and frustration." Adric reminded me, I rolled my eyes and glared at him.

"I know, this is like, the millionth time you've told me. **Today**!"

"Well I want to make sure you understand what you have to do, Snow may not kill you but your family is a different matter not to mention the hell he'll put you through until the day you finally die. If the rest of the Capitol thinks it was just grief then Snow can't touch you."

"Yeah yeah yeah, let's get this interview over with." I sighed.

The anthem plays and Flickerman greats the crowd, the prep team comes on stage and the audience cheers, then Pansy comes on, Honeyman receives cheers too as he struts out. Finally Adric comes out and I can just picture his face as the crowd cheers, he's probably trying really hard not to glare at them all. The cheer he receives is loud and happy, District 9 hadn't won the games since the 10th Hunger Games until Adric and then just two years later he brings home someone else. Both the Capitol and our district must love him right now, not that he helped a lot but hey, if we didn't have the soup who knows how long I would have lasted without some kind of liquid.

When I feel myself lifting onto the stage the first thing I register are the lights, temporarily blinding me. I look around and I notice the prep team and Honeyman standing on one side of the stage, all wearing a dark purple. Then on the other side is Pansy, clad in pink everything, and Adric. It took me about a minute to realize it was Adric though, his normally messy hair was neat and his clothes were tidy and straitened out, he didn't look like the messy boy who always got himself into trouble, he wasn't even slouching!

He gave me a small smile and a nod towards the victor's chair, I returned the smile but it faltered slightly when I turned towards the chair. As I the lights dim and the film of my game's highlights starts I begin to think, a desperate attempt to take my mind off the film. If my excuse for the insults I hurled at the Capitol was supposed to be in a fit of grief and despair then it makes sence for me to look like I'm grieving, right? I should try to keep my laughing and joking to a minimum in the Capitol's eyes and when I do joke I should make sure my smile isn't quite as sincere as it normally is. My main problem is Adric. Although this is his plan he is also the one threatening to ruin it, his smile is infectious, I can't help but smile every time he does. Maybe it's because he hardly every does it and the change in expression is something that makes people smile? But if that was the case then why do I not believe my own theory? I know I'm not the only person who does it, Pansy does too, every time Adric gives even a tiny flicker of a smile, Pansy smiles with him.

It's weird how when the thing that will probably haunt me for the rest of my life is playing in a film right in front of me I can be thinking about smiling, I suppose I did want to take my mind off of the film but each one of my thoughts lead back to the film in front of me. Each time I force another thought into my head but it all leads to now, every thought, every memory is connected to my games. I guess I sort of understand where Adric is coming from when he goes on his rants about his games. By the way he acts his games must have been as bad, if not worse, than my games, I can understand why he would hate to talk about them.

I chanced a glance at the film, that was a mistake. I chose to look at the worst possible moment, it seems that during my thinking process the film had passed the majority of the games and was now on the moment of Thresh's death. Time slowed down as I stared at the repeat of one of the most terrifying scene I'd ever witnessed, I thought about what Adric had said, how the Capitol would expect me to react when I realized that I didn't need to act, all I had to do was make sure the anger I felt once I won the games didn't resurface. I covered my face with my hands and turned my head away from the screen, refusing to watch it again, the scene would never leave my memories from seeing it in person, why did I need to watch them on a screen?

I hear the anthem plays and everyone rises as Snow takes to the stage followed by a little girl and the crown. I rise too, almost falling over due to my shaking legs, he smiles as he places the crown on my head but his eyes... His eyes say that he's not as taken in by my 'act of grief' as everyone else seems to be. Cheering erupts and I'm taken straight to Snow's mansion for a Victory Banquet, I barely get any time to eat though because practically the whole time is taken up with people shaking my hands and asking for pictures, it's hard to actually see with such bright light. I smile lightly in photos but the only time it's true is when I finally spy Adric in the crowd. I weave my way through to talk to him, desperate for a conversation with someone who I, unfortunately, consider a friend.

"Look at you, all groomed and presentable." I said, grinning lightly at him,

"I see the bow has stuck, you look about five years old." Adric grinned back.

"Lies, lies, why so many lies?" I shook my head,

"Okay fine, eight year old, yes that is my final decision." I punched him lightly "Oww, the pain! The pain!" He mocked,

"Are we having fun yet?" I asked, changing the subject.

"The time of my life." He answered dryly, I laughed at his responce as another fancy Capitol person came over and took our picture,

"Could I have another one?" He asked "One of the victor and her mentor?" I nodded as Adric drapped his arm over my shoulder, I leaded against him and gave the first genuine smile of the night. It was nice to be able to have a conversation with someone who not only understood what I'd been through but also wouldn't leave the second a new victor came on the scene.

It's sunrise by the time we head back to bed and feels like only a few seconds before Honeyman bursts in with a sky blue dress complete with a gold belt and a bow on the side. He curls my hair and again a bow to match the belt is put in my hair. Gold flats seem to finish the look off for Honeyman as he then proceeds to smother me in make-up.

Adric almost bursts out laughing when he sees me. Git.

The living room is the interview area for this one, Flickerman greets me with a warm hug as I walk in.

"Congratulations Aria! How are you faring?" He asked, I still didn't get the point of congratulating me, I didn't feel like I'd won anything.

"I'm alright I guess, glad to be alive." I answered

"Yes, Adric told me that you're still grieving over the death of Thresh." He tried to reassure me, I just nodded. I sit on the couch and someone starts counting backwards and BAM, we're being broadcast all over Panem. Flickerman makes jokes, teases, getting choked up when he gets the chance but I stick to short answers, not wanting to talk too much I try to keep the conversation more on Flickerman's side.

"So Aria, I can see that during your games you and Thresh got very close, when did you realize for the first time that he was more than just an ally in the games? I know I first realized it when Thresh's district partner died, you were there for him and seemed genuinely concerned."

"W-well, during training I would sit with T-Thresh at lunch, we fit well neither of us really li-liked talking much. We agreed on an alliance but I n-never thought we'd really get close. Then slowly as I got to know him, he started to remind me a lot of my brother. I guess the first time I really noticed it though was a-actually when we had out first and o-only argument." I gave a small laugh at the weirdness of it all. "Leo and I are always arguing, it was something we constantly did and it just reminded me of Leo. The more I got to know him the c-closer we got..." I felt tears welling up in my eyes, I rubbed furiously in an attempt to stop them from falling.

It didn't work too well.

"Aww, it's alright Aria." said Flickerman comfortingly, he patted my shoulder "You're safe now, both of you knew from the start that only one would get out. Thresh told you to win and you did. Not just for your family but for him too." I nodded and wrapped my arms around me, annoyed at myself for wishing that Adric was here, to hug me like he did the night before the games started. "Now I know this whole thing is a tough subject but I have to ask, what was running through your head when you won? When you were shouting about... things?"

"I-I just got so... so frustrated. Frustrated with myself for letting Thresh go so easily, frustrated for not breaking away from Thresh sooner and then when it finally struck me that he was gone I just, just felt so empty an-and sad, I just wanted to scream and I couldn't help it... I just yelled... I can't even remember what I said." I shook my head and glanced at Adric, he smiled at me, a sign I took to mean I did well.

"Well I think that's understandable considering what you saw." Flickerman said, I just nodded and hung my head. Flickerman signs off and it's over. I immediately walk over to Adric and hug him, he pulls me close and whispers in my ear.

"Perfect, Angel." I grin at the comment. I walk back to my room and grab my mothers necklace, someone had kindly returned it to me after the games. Before I know it we're being driven through the streets in a car with blackened windows, the train is waiting for us at the station. The train begins moving and I relax a little, I have a few months before the victory tour starts, as the train starts to move the sun starts to set.

I spend hours tossing and turning, too afraid to sleep incase the memories begin to flash through my dreams, I was far too focused on preserving my family's life to truly sleep long enough to dream but here, on the train where I've finished with interview, I had all the time in the world. The times I feel most comfortable are when I'm with Adric, because he **knows **what I've been through, he's **been **through that himself. I pull myself out of bed, I feel like I can't sleep without someone beside me. I **need **to know I'm not alone in this, that I've got someone I can trust here with me. Slowly I make my way towards Adric's bedroom, normaly on a night like this the only sound you here is the train, which isn't particularly loud,but tonight I can here something else. The closer I get to Adric's room the louder it gets, there's a lot of muttering of words I can't quite make out.

I push open Adric's door, it's just Adric in there, he's twisting and turning in his bed, a sheet of sweat coats his skin. He keeps muttering things, too quietly for me to understand what he's saying, his hand grab the covers. He's having a nightmare, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work that one out. I walk over to his bed and shake his shoulders to try to get him to wake up.

"Adric." I whisper, he doesn't wake up just keeps shaking. I shove him harder,

"Adric!" I said furiously, his eyes flew open and he shot out of bed, grabbing my wrists and pinning me to the wall. "No, Adric, it's all right, it's just me, Aria!"

"Aria?" he let my wrists go and placed one hand on the wall and leaned his forehead against mine, trying to put his breathing back to normal. "I'm sorry, what are you doing here anyway?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep, so I came to see you. What was your nightmare about anyway?"

"None of your business!" He snapped, I was taken aback really, but I guess it must have been about his games. Foolish of me not to think of it to start with.

"I know," I nodded, "C-can I stay with you? Here, tonight?" He nodded and lay back down, motioning for me to lie next to him. I crawled onto the bed and curled up next to him, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead before I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up the next morning to yelling. A lot of it, and the lack of a body next to me. I sit up and am immediately struck with the coldness of everything, I am only wearing shorts and t-shirt. Adric and Pansy are the only others in the room, I'm slightly surprised by the fact that two people could be making so much noise. Pansy is in her usual fancy Capitol attire, and Adric is still in his pajamas and yelling angrily at Pansy.

"It's **vile**, Adric, she's **fifteen **years old! It's disgusting!" Pansy snapped,

"How many times are we going to go over this? I. Did. Not. Sleep. With. Aria." Adric glared at Pansy and my mouth fell open and hit the floor (not literally).

"Oh really? Then why are the pair of you all cuddled up in the same bed?"

"You thought- You made the- What are you- That's sick!" I said jumping out of Adric's bed and grabbing everything and anything I could and threw it at Pansy.

"This feels like deja vu..." Adric muttered shaking his head.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Why?

In victors village you live as close as you can to the people in the Capitol, you are not the poor starving people who you once were. I now live right next to Adric and every night one of us would stay over at the others, Pansy doesn't know of this yet and my family have never questioned it. In fact Adric and I have never questioned it, it just became the norm. I am sitting outside in the garden, drawing. I had been told to do something to show the Capitol that I had moved on. So I've been drawing a lot, I haven't shown anyone, I have mostly drawn the same thing over and over. It's what I see when I close my eyes, It's Thresh's face which has been peeled of it's skin. That's what I was drawing just now, I hadn't gone over to Adric's last night, I'd been told not to as people where hanging around trying to take pictures, so I had a nightmare filled night, it's safe to say I am not in a good mood. I heard Pansy come in, dad was being his usual cheerful self, saying I was doing fine when I really wasn't. He sounded like a broken record. I shook my head and continued to draw, I had done ones of flowers and stuff to show on T.V, these ones where not meant to be seen by anyone. I sighed as a shadow clouded my page, I didn't want to know who it was.

"That's disturbing." Adric said from behind. Of course it's him. I snapped my sketch pad shut and turned to look at him, I wasn't in the mood to joke, so cue glare from me. "Is that any way to treat your new best friend?" I sighed and stood up,

"We are not best friends." I said, starting to walk away from him.

"Then what are we?" He asks walking with me. Git.

"You're annoying and I'm awesome."

"A.A. We're made for each other!" he may be 6'5 and I'm 5'2 but I managed to whack him over the head with my sketch book. "That was mean." I sighed and walked into the house, Pansy was running around like a headless chicken, trying to get the right light to show off my not so 'disturbing' drawings.

"Ah Adric, you found her!" Of course he'd been sent to get me. "Where was she?" Pansy turned to Adric, knowing she wouldn't get anything out of me, so far Adric is the only person I talk to.

"The garden, remind me why you didn't think to look there?"

"Well I didn't think she'd be outdoors." I sat on the couch and looked out the window, not paying attention to them.

"A.R.I.A!" I jumped at Adric's voice "Thank you for paying attention." I looked around, Pansy had changed places and by the looks of things the time of day had changed. I looked confused.

"Adric, calm down we where only going over all the boring stuff." Pansy smiled at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah but you made me sit through each one when it was me! Every. Single. One." I shook my head and went up stairs,

"Just remember to be down on time!" Pansy called after me, I slammed my bedroom door, fell on my bed and buried my head in my pillow, silent tears running down my cheeks.

"Aria?" The door opened and I saw Adric's floating head through blurry eyes. "Aria, what's wrong?" He walked over and sat on the bed next to me. I shrugged because honestly I didn't know, I was just so confused all the time, I buried my head in my pillow again. "You don't know why you're crying...?"

"Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon." I muttered into my pillow.

"Come on, you must have some idea of what's wrong." I sighed,

"It's all so wrong."

"What is?"

"Everything,"

"Really? Am I wrong?"

"Adric, have you ever been scared?" I looked at him, tears still running down my face, I've never seen him scared, never seen him be afraid to loose something. I mean sure he's been in the games, of course he's been scared, but this was different.

"I was in the Hunger Games, of course I've been scared."

"But...have you even been scared outside of the games?" I was talking about the nightmare's, I hoped he'd click. He seems to think about it for a moment before answering.

"Yeah, but what does this have to do with anything?"

"Everytime I close my eyes I see Thresh falling to the ground dead, I can't sleep at night and it feels wrong that everyone is happy, that the world has gone back to normal." I was looking at my hands, not looking at him anymore.

"Who said I was happy?" I felt like there was something missing at the end of that sentence.

"You seem happy, why wouldn't you be happy?"

"That's because," He took a deep breath, "I'm only happy when you're around. Out of everyone I've ever met, you're the one I can't help but smile at. There's something about you that just makes everything seem better, makes things seem more worth while."

"Adric... Are you drunk?" I look at him questioningly, he glares.

"No, it's just... Never mind." I was about to ask him what he was about to say, when Pansy called us down.

-o-O-o-

Trains, I am beginning to despise the sight of them. A train now means the Hunger Games, I was in my room on the train, watching the stars pass. I was waiting for Pansy to go to sleep so I could go to Adric, I hadn't slept in weeks. I placed my ear on the door and I heard her door close. I slowly edged it open the door quietly and crept along the landing. I could hear him laughing, well that's a new one. I opened the door to reveal Adric, he had a bottle of wine in his hand, gulping it down. Well he's going to have a sore head in the morning.

"Adric?"

"Heeyy Ariaa!" I rolled my eyes.

"Adric, give me the wine."

"Naw! It's ma wine! Get yer own!"

"Adric, I don't want the wine to drink! I think you've had enough." I stood looking up at him.

"I've not had enough Angel, that's the problem. The nightmares won't go away if I don't. They've been happening far too frequently." He swings the bottle about for emphasis.

"Adric, drinking isn't the answer." I said sympathetically

"But thats not true, you should talk to Haymitch. He'll tell you I'm right." I sighed and just took the bottle from him, throwing it out the window. "Well that was uncalled for." I sighed looking at the ceiling.

"Adric, you need to sober up before Pansy sees, or we are both dead."

"Aria. I do not need to sober up. If I do that, I'll have another nightmare and I hate them." I sighed way too tiered to deal with this. I sat on his bed, my head in my hands. "Hey! My bed! Shove off!" He grabbed my arms and made me stand, he was like a giant compared to me, I'd never realised how much taller than me he was. I rolled my eyes at him.

"You see Angel, because that bed belongs to me and because everything that belongs to me is awesome, clearly someone of your low down awesomeness rank cannot possibly sit on my bed. Fact of Life." Adric said smirking. Git.

"You are so in love with yourself." I said folding my arms.

"Wouldn't you be?" He took a step closer to me. I looked him in the eyes. I didn't realize what was happening nor do I know who made the first move but what I do know is that Adric had kissed me. Yes, you read that correctly, your eyes haven't suddenly stopped functioning, although I think my brain did. My arms subconsciously went to his shoulders and I couldn't help but kiss him back. Don't ask why. He lifted me up and sat me on the computer table, my brain had stopped working. When he broke away I reacted without thinking, I slapped him hard and then jumped off of the table and ran for it. Hiding in a cupboard.

-o-O-o-

"IT'S ALL OVER THE NEWS!" was what I woke up to. Only Pansy could yell like that.

"What's all over the news this time?" Adric drawled, I peeked through the crack in the door and saw Adric sitting at a table massaging his temples and Pansy holding a picture, standing in front of him.

"This!" She yelled putting the photo on the table, Adric picked it up and stared at it.

"I have no recollection of this." Adric put the picture back on the table.

"Well it happened and now the whole of Panem knows! Were you drunk or something?" Adric didn't respond, "Oh my god! You were! If anyone finds out you are dead meat! We have to do something... Oh this is all your fault!"

"My fault? I don't even remember it!"

"Yes and guess what? Aria's gone missing now too!" It was at this point I decided to jump out of my cupboard and snatched the picture off the table and stared at it. It was Adric kissing me last night.

"What the hell is this?" I yell at Pansy,

"That is what is plastered all over the news!" she yelled back, again I ran out of the room. I ran into my bedroom and slammed the door shut.

"Ok, don't panic, panicking will not help, oh god! This cannot be happening, no, not happening!" I said out loud, pacing up and down. "Oh god! I'm panicking, so panicking!" I scrunched up the photo and threw it in the bin, kicking it. I sat on my bed, hugging my knees to my chest. Why me? Is someone up there got it in for me? The door bursts open and Pansy barged in dragging a not-very-happy-Adric by his t-shirt.

"Look, I already have a bad enough headache! I don't need you two adding to it!" I glared at him.

"Ok look we need to fix this mess without indicating that Adric was drunk." I didn't know why we couldn't just he was drunk, I mean it's his problem. Pansy saw my face "Aria, we need to make Adric, look good, we need to keep up his appearance." Appearances were very important to Pansy, to her nothing was more important. "So we need to make it look like you are in love."

"What!" I yelled, standing up, my face must have told them everything. Being in love was Adric, no, just no! Adric groaned angrily.

"And it would be good because the Capitol will like you more." Pansy said happily,

"No." Adric said and then he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Pansy turned to me, rasing an eyebrow.

"Pansy, it's just too weird." I stated, I walked out of the room. I walked along to the kitchen, got an aspirin and some water and walked to Adric's room. Adric was lying on his bed, his hands covering his eyes yet he somehow managed to know it was me.

"What do you want Aria?" he asked without moving, I walked and sat on the bed.

"Aspirin, for the headache." I said, looking at the water and pill in my hands. He sat up and glared at me, why was he glaring at me?

"I don't need your stupid aspirin." I looked at him,

"I'm only trying to help."

"I don't want your help." He continued to glare at me.

"Why are you glaring at me?" I was trying not to look hurt.

"Because I'm not in the best of moods right now, okay?" I sighed, putting the water and aspirin on the table.

"Adric, about what happened..."

"I don't want to talk about it, clearly it was a mistake and you were totally right to slap me, I deserved that. You can leave now." I looked shocked now,

"You remember me slapping you?" Oh god, please don't let me be blushing!

"What?" His head snapped up,

"You said I was right to slap you, that means you remember what happened." yep, I was so blushing. It made me feel better that Adric was blushing too though.

"It-It's all fuzzy, oh look! I can't remember anymore, what were we talking about again?" He looked away from me.

"I am being serious, this is all over the paper." I looked at my hands. Yes my first kiss was a drunk friend and now everyone in Panem knew.

"So? It's not your reputation that will get destroyed, not like I had one to begin with..." I sighed,

"We can't let your reputation get ruined, I mean the next victor will need you."

"Or you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, once the next games start you'll no longer be known as 'the victor' you'll be known as 'one of those other mentors'."

"I can't mentor someone, I'll end up killing them, or worst, sending them soup!" Adric opened his mouth then closed it and opened it again,

"I hate you!" He said incredulously,

"Oh really that wasn't the impression I got last night."

"Can we stop talking about that? It meant nothing okay!" for some reason what he said hurt, but I didn't know why. I hoped it didn't show on my face,

"Well, how are we going to fix it?" Yep, my face did show hurt, well crap.

"What's there to fix?" he muttered

" I don't know maybe the whole kiss plastered on the front of every news paper, oh and we have to convince the world you weren't drunk."

"We don't **have **to, Pansy just wants us to."

"You and I both know that's not true."

"Fine, we say I like you but you don't like me, problem solved."

"Yeah, because I love hate mail."

"You won't get hate mail, the Capitol hates me."

"No, the people don't, maybe the leaders."

"Believe me, if you'd seen my games you'd hate me too.." He said it so quietly I could barely hear him.

"What was so bad that happened in your games?" I was curious, so many people had brought it up, everyone knew about it, everyone but me.

"I... I can't tell you! I **won't**!"

"Adric, I'm not going to hate you, we all do things in there that we don't want to, that we can't control." Cato's face flashed in my mind, I could see the mutts taking him apart.

"You don't understand..." He shook his head, "Let's get back to the subject."

"Ok, we need to come up with a plan."

"I gave you a plan."

"Yeah well now we need a good one."

"That's the best plan I've got." This was going to be a long discussion.

-o-O-o-

"Wake up!" Adric's voice said, I snuggled closer to whatever was nice and warm.

"Five more minutes." I said, my voice sounded like a kids.

"No, get up NOW!"

"No!" I hugged my pillow closer.

"Angel?"

"What now?" I sighed in a baby voice,

"That's not your pillow." Adric stated

"What!" I jumped away from him, falling off my bed in the process, "Ouchie." I grabbed the covers snuggling closer to them.

"Look if you don't get up and get get dressed **right now **I will lift you up and dress you myself!"

"Well that's not creepy at all." I said, grabbing a pillow and placing it over my head.

"Fine then," I felt myself being lifted from the floor.

"Put me down pervert! Pansy!"

"Hey, you brought this on yourself!" He said swinging me over his shoulder and opening in my cupboard to find clothes for the day.

"Pansy! HELP!" I yelled. Pansy ran in, curlers in her hair.

"What in the world is going on!"

"She won't get dressed!"

"So he said he's going to do if for me." I hit him, hard.

"Adric, put her down for god sake! Aria, please get dressed."

"You say please to her but not me?" He said dropping me.

"OW!" I said, Pansy rolled her eyes and left, I glared at Adric. "Out my room pervert!"

"Hey, you were the one who invited me." He shrugged walking out of the room. I got dressed, puting a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and a hoodie on. Honeyman will have a fit but hey! they wanted me to get dressed. I walked down the landing and stopped dead. Ceaser Flickermen was in the room, Pansy smiled at me. I looked and Adric and gave me the 'what the hell is going on?' look. Pansy walked over to me, taking me to the side Adric followed.

"We need to get the Capitol convinced you two are a couple." Pansy said,

"What! I never agreed to this!"

"We've been over this, we've both said no, deal with it."

"We need you two to do this!" Pansy said, I looked at Adric giving him a look that read 'you're not agreeing with this right?'

"No, Pansy, you don't. Why can't we just say I like Ang-Aria but she doesn't like me? It makes sence or we could do the obvious and tell the bloody truth!"

"No that would make her look bad, it'd put her at risk." I felt like a bauble head, looking between the two.

"So this is about her now huh? It's not like it matters, this time next year she'll be yesterdays news."

"Adric! This is about the both of you and now you have to man up and take responsiblity for you're actions." Pansy took him off to another corner. They argued for a bit then they came back. Pansy didn't look happy, "Do you want her dead." She grabbed my arm, it was like a vice, painful. "do you?" I don't remember being told I was termainly ill.

"I don't see how her getting a reputation for rejecting people is going to cause her death or harm nor do I see a problem with the truth!."

"They got a romance out of Peeta and Katniss, the stars crossed lovers. People were out raged, now they think they have something to route for, something that would last in their eyes." She looked at Adric and whispered so quietly that I almost didn't hear "President Snow isn't happy with her, remember, people can think she's only grieving for so long, now we need to give them some happiness, they miss the funny Aria."

"That doesn't mean it has to be me." Adric muttered glaring at Pansy.

"No it didn't, but now you've kissed her." Wait! No! No! Adric stay strong!

"We can still stick to the story, say there's someone else!" Pansy sighed.

"People have been following her, seeing what's she's been doing, the only guy she talks to, the only person she talks to is you. You're the only option."

"Then say she has her eye on someone else!"

"We can't, don't you see, Adric people have seen it, people have been making posters rooting for you." Posters? People need to get a life. "Right now she's the victor, in the public eye. Rejecting you would make everyone turn against her, then President Snow is free to kill her off. You are too young to be drunk, _deal with_ it!" I wanted to shout stop predicting my immanent death! But kept quiet,

"He can't just kill her off and you can't just predict our future! We don't **need **to do anything!"

"No I don't need to do anything, you need to. Presdient Snow has killed many people and made it look like an accident."

"Ok stop! I am not going to die." I meant to sound firm, but it came out like a scared little kid.

"SEE!" Adric yelled, I jumped about a foot in the air, I mean I was used to hush voices now.

"Adric, remember what we talked about, do you want this to be like your games, because you are doing the exact same thing to her. The Capitol will remember." Adric's eyes widened and he stared at Pansy, he said nothing just turned around and went into his room slamming the door.

"Adric!" I called after him. I opened the door, Adric was eating toffee. "I'm sure she didn't mean it."

"How could she not mean it? You wouldn't understand! You never watched my games! Just leave me alone, go convince Pansy to leave us be."

"I don't think I can, the horrible thing is I think she's right."

"What?" Adric stared at me like I'd grown two heads, the spoon falling out of his mouth.

"ImeanIamsortofworriedaboutpr esidentsnowouttokillmeandIkn owyoudon'twantthisbutidon'twanttobekilled."

"Em... What?" I facepalmed.

"I mean I am sort of worried about President Snow out to kill me and I know you don't want this but I don't want to be killed." I said slowly,

"Wait, wait, wait! Lemme get this straight, you **want** to pretend to be in love with me?"

"No! I don't want to pretend, I'm just scared." I looked at my hands, I hated admiting that I was afraid of some snake man, but President Snow terrified me. He was the perdator and I was the prey. Pansy had made me even more afraid than I was to start of with, oh god! My visions getting blurry! No! I will not cry! Oh damnit to late, the flood gates have opened.

"Aria?" Adric automatically ran over and hugged me, "Shhh, it's alright, it's okay, I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise... If it helps, I'll play along." Adric whispered

"Thank you..."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Tour

"Why would you even say that!" I yelled at Adric as we entered Adric's room,

"Cause I felt like it, alright?" he yelled back

"You called me Angel on live television! Why?!"

"Cause. I. Felt. Like. It." I sighed and fell on his bed in a dramatic fashion, "You really are very dramatic."

"Shut up." I said as I threw his pillow at him.

"Such violence," he laughed sitting down next to me. I rolled my eyes, then I sudden thought hit me.

"Today is the day we see district 11." I said, looked straight up at the ceiling.

"I know." It was the district I was dreading the most, how could I look at Thresh's family and say your son was great, pity he's dead. It was wrong, so wrong. I felt something wet hit my hand. I wiped the tears and watched the window, the trees zoomed past in such a rush they appeared blurred, the only reason I knew they where trees was the colouring was different shades of green. I got off the bed and walked to the window so my back was to Adric. I don't know why, but watching the world outside was calming. It was like it was telling me that sometimes bad things happen, but the world keeps spinning. "What's wrong?" he asked tentatively, as he were afraid of the answer.

"Doesn't matter." I said, Adric turned me to face him,

"Well if you're crying it obviously matters."

"Just leave it." I told him, he sighed.

"Aria…"

"Don't." I left the room and wandered back to my own room.

-o-O-o-

I looked out at the crowd of district 11, their unreadable faces stared back at me. I looked down, the families of Rue and Thresh where there. Thresh's grandmother was staring at me, I could see it in her eyes, she knew Thresh could have won, if I had tried to help him. I looked down at my ready-made speech, I had been told to stick to it so I wouldn't insult the Capitol any further. I looked out at the crowd again, it didn't feel right. The speech was so cold, so harsh.

"Thresh and I where Allies, he helped me when I thought no one would, he died…." I stopped, this speech wasn't right he'd deserved better. "In a horrible way." I could just picture Pansy and Adric's faces clearly saying 'stop now.'

"Thresh was kind, he was caring and he needs to be remember for that, not just another dead tribute." My mind was even telling me to stop, but I couldn't. "Rue was also sweet, she wouldn't see the bad side of anyone. I'm sorry for your loss, I never really spoke to Rue but I know she was a good person, she was brave. Thresh was my friend, I grew close to him in the arena, he reminded me of my brother, of what was waiting for me at home, of my reason to fight. He will always be in my heart."

That's when I knew I had been cut off from live television and the screen had went back to the mayor. Everyone was silent, everyone was still. Until an old man in the back did the salute from District 12 followed by a whistle. It had four beats and I remembered hearing the mockingjay's sing it in the arena, but I never did know what is stood for and seconds later the rest of the crowd is doing the same. The way they use the sign is not only a respect to Rue and Thresh but also to Peeta and Katniss, it's sort of sweet really. There was a final round of applause and I'm taken back towards the doors but as I glance back, I make a mistake.

I look to the stage and I see two peacekeepers dragging the old man to the place I was standing moments before, forcing him onto his knees and putting a bullet through his head.

-o-O-o-

"They shot him! They just shot him, no ifs, buts, protests! They just **shot him**!" I yelled at Adric pacing up and down his room, Adric rolled his eyes.

"I know, you've only told me this about a hundred times in the last five minutes." he said from his spot on the bed.

"They shouldn't be allowed to do that, that shouldn't happen!"

"It shouldn't but it does, they've done it before and they're going to keep doing it because no one is willing to stop it, they've tried and failed before, they are not going to risk it again without something they didn't have last time."

"And what is this thing they didn't have?"

"I... Don't know." I sat on his bed glaring at the wall, blaming all my problems on it.

"Angel, why are you glaring at a wall?" He asked turning to look at me.

"Because I need something to blame all this crap on." I crossed my arms.

"Well you'd better shove the blame onto the wall fast cause we've got a dinner to go to." Adric snapped shoving me out of his room and slamming the door. I looked at the door, what had I done this time? I walked to my room and sighed looking at the monstrosity I had to wear to the district dinner, this was going to be hellish.

-o-O-o-

The party at President Snow's mansion has no equal. I was standing in the banquet hall, avoiding everyone and everything. I watched all the Capitol people dancing, laughing and smiling. I felt someone stand next to me and made a move to escape but a hand stopped me.

"Not so fast Angel." I sighed and turned to face Adric, he grinned cheekily at me. "If I have to suffer then so do you." He extended his hand "Would you like to dance?"

"Well if you're asking no, but if you're telling I don't have a choice." He lead me to the dance floor, and if things weren't awkward enough a slow song started to play. We started to dance and to my surprise he could actually dance. He could dance well, which was even more shocking. I looked up to see him grinning at me,

"What's so funny?" I asked, his stupid grin was contagious.

"You're face, didn't think I could dance huh?"

"Course I didn't, you don't strike me as the type of person to take ball room dancing."

"Well, when you have Pansy, she likes to make you presentable." I laughed lightly, there was truth in that statement. "Doesn't mean I like it though!" He added hastily,

"Of course you don't." I said sarcastically, he glared playfully.

"May I cut in?" a man with a thick Capitol accent asked Adric,

"Of course, don't get too attached though." He warns, I roll my eyes as the Capitol man laughs.

"Plutarch Havensbee, I'm the new head gamemaker." He smiles,

"You've got a lot of pressure on you to do it right then." After all, the last one's dead.

"Yes, there's not many willing to take the job, so much responsibility."

"Have you started on the Quarter Quells then?" I hate those games, thankfully I've never had to watch one but my dad's told me about them, he had to watch one where there were four tributes from each district, the only other one was where you had to vote on who the tributes were. This year is the third Quarter Quell.

"Well, they've been in the making for years. Arena's are not built in a day. Although the... flavour of the games is being determined at the moment, I've got a strategy meeting tonight." He flips open a gold watch and runs his thumb across the crystal face, "I'll have to be going soon." He said as a mockingjay, just like my necklace, appears, just for a moment and then disappears.

"That's very pretty." I said, he smiles,

"One of a kind, if anyone asks, I've gone to bed. The meeting is supposed to be top-secret."

"Your secret's safe with me." We shake hands and he gave a small bow before we went our separate ways. I can't help but wonder why he wanted to show the mockingjay, was it some kind of sign to tell me he was on my side in the whole 'Aria vs Snow' thing? The watch certainly was strange, there was something off about it but I wasn't sure what. I found Adric near the musicians, running his hands along the piano in a sort of trance.

"Hey Addie!" I say excitedly, it's around midnight according to Plutarch's watch and Pansy wanted us on the train for one. He simply rolled his eyes

"do you have the time?"

"Yep, let's get Pansy and leave. Now." I grabbed his hand and dragged him through the crowd, occasionally being stopped for a picture or a chat. We eventually found her searching through the assortment of cake with a woman with orange hair.

"It's midnight, can we leave now?" Adric asked, she rolled her eyes,

"You have no patience for parties do you?" she sighed, "I'm sorry Effie, I'll talk to you later." We said our goodbyes and made our way into a car with darkened windows that drove us through the streets of the Capitol.

Once on the train I felt, strangely, some sort of relief. I was finally going home, finally the nightmare would end. I turned to look at Adric, he was staring out the window, a vacant expression on his face. And then I realised something, the nightmare would never end, I would always be haunted with the things that had happened. Would I end up like Adric? Not being able to talk about my games. That was a worrying prospect.

"You alright Angel?" I looked at him snapping out of my thoughts,

"What?...oh emmmm yeah." I said, he looked at me suspiciously.

"You sure about that?"

"Yes Adric, if anyone should be asking that, it's me." he raised an eyebrow, "You look awful." I told him simply.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Dinner with the Parents

I paced in a room at the mayors house, freaking out. I kept glacing at the clock, the prep team had left after dressing me in suitable clothing for the dinner with the mayor, his wife and their son. I was going to meet Adric's parents. The dress was long, made out of blue silk, flowers were running along the bodest. I sat on the bed in the room, clinging to the side.

"Ok Aria, time to calm down, deep breaths." I said out loud, "You can do this, you can this, you can do this...I so can't do this." I put my head in my hands, I was so glad to be back in district 9, now all I wanted to do was flee. I heard the door open, my head snapped up. Adric stood there, in a suit, the strange thing was I was getting used to seeing him dressed up.

"My parents don't bite you know." He said, half smiling.

"Yeah I know that, but we have to convice them we are madly in love with each other..." even I could hear the panic in my voice.

"Well technically you only have to convince my mother, my father knows me too well." I listened, puting on the silver heels I was being forced to wear.

"Well how am I supposed to convice her? What is she actually like?" I sighed, he had never told me his parents personalites.

"Well, she's proper, posh, snob, annoying, strict, evil... Get the picture?"

"But..I can't convince her then! I mean what if she doesn't like me? What happens if she tells President Snow and he sends his pack of mutts after us then they get you and you get killed like Thresh and she decides to tell the world that we aren't actually a couple, oh my gosh we could get in so much trouble I could loose you I could loose my family, I could get put on trial and everything and end up being shot in front of everybody, is it warm in here or is it just me?" I had stopped breathing normally, I was on full panic mode,

"Aw, you're worried about loosing me! That's so sweet!" Of course that's the one thing he picks up, I was hyperventalating. "Okay why don't try to calm down."

"What do you **think **I've been doing? Having a tea party?"

"Okay, room at the end of the hall is my father's study, there's a balcony in there. Stand on it for a bit, calm down." I just nodded and walked down, I could hear my heels clicking on the polished floors. This house wasn't nearly as posh as the capital houses, but it was as close as a District could get. I walked into the room Adric had directed me to, the T.V was droning on, I looked at it, hoping it would calm me down. There were shots of me and Adric at the capital party last night, dancing and laughing. People must be sick of the Mentor and the Victor who fell in love, I know I was. I headed to the balcony when a beeping noise caught my attention, the screen went black and the words 'update on district 8' where flashing on it. I know this wasn't for me to see, it was intented for the mayor. I knew I should have left, but my feet where reacting for me, taking my closer to the televisoin. A announcer I had never seen before appeared, she is a woman with grey hair and a authoritive voice,

"Conditions are worsening." She stated, "A level three alert has been called. Additional forces have been sent to district 8 and all textile production has ceased." The woman was cut off and the town square of district 8 became the new picked, I knew this because I had been there last week. There are still banners of my face (yeah still not used to that) but a mobe was below them. The square was packed with screaming people, their faces covered with rags and homemade masks. Their throwing bricks, burning buildings, peacekeepers shooting to the crowd killing at random. It was like something out of a horror film, my eyes widened and I took a step back, what was going on? Why was this happening? Once the shock had left me I made for the door, closing it behind me. I made down the hall and just in time too as the mayor was coming up the stairs.

"Mr. Petrelli!" I said startled. "I was just..em..."

"Looking for Adric?" He asked, thank you for the excuse Mr Mayor.

"Yes, that's exactly what I was doing!"

"He'll probably be in his room, at the other end of the hall," There was a round of beeping coming from his study, "Please excuse me, my dear." He said before hurrying off. 'My dear' really? I sighed and headed for Adric's room, I walked in and closed the door quickly.

"You'll never believe this." I said.

"What?" He asked from his position on the bed,

"There has been rebelliouns in district 8! Actual rebelliouns ." A part of my voice sounded exicted, but another part, a much deeper part, was scared senseless.

"And how do you know this?"

"I went into your dads room, like you told me and it just appeared on his TV." I said sitting on his bed.

"And what do you want me to do about it? Isn't this like the opposite of what we were trying to acheive?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well yeah..." I trailed off a bit, "But imagine if the Capitol wasn't in charge? What if there were no hunger games?" I looked away from him, looking out his window.

"But there are, there's no point in thinking about it. If you keep thinking like that you'll get yourself and those around you killed." I sighed, why couldn't he see it? If everyone just banded together...I tried to get the thoughts out of my head, but they wouldn't leave, the idea of having no games to worry about, no Capitol, was just so over powering.

"Not if everyone banded together, not if we all joined forces, then we could take them down. The Capitol can't kill everyone."

"Well they can try." He said, "Anyone who opposes them'll get shot, no questions asked just like that man from 11."

"But that was one man! One, what happened if it was all of us?"

"It would never be all of us, there are a few who believe in the Capitol and as long as there are those who believe in them then they can do what they want." I looked at my hands, I didn't know why I was so hung up on this.

"Imagine not having to go through any of this."

"You have no idea how much I wish I'd never been through it but no amount of wishing can bring... change what happened." He said making a small slip up.

"Bring?" As soon as I said I knew I shouldn't have questioned it. He glared and simply nodded towards the door in a sort of 'if you don't leave now I'll rip your heart out and use it for target practice'. "Sorry." I stood up and closed the door, I rested my head against the wall. Memories came flooding back and I held my hands to my head. After a while Adric's door opened. "Look I'm sorry."

"Just don't mention it again, now come on. We've got a dinner to surrvive."

-o-O-o-

So the Hunger Games I can survive, but a dinner with my fake boyfriend's parents I may not come out alive. Mrs. Angelo Petrelli was a strict looking woman, her hair in a tight bun that pushed her wrinkly face back. She had some form of animal drapped around her neck, her purple dress was old fashioned. She ate with a posie that only someone of her stature could master, each cut delacite. I looked at the weird food on my plate and looked at Adric who had been seated across from me, I need some help to try a decifer what was on my plate. Adric's father, Septimus, was a kind man who cared about bacically everyone. He was probably the nicest man you could meet, for some reason Adric didn't seem to like him. The mayor and his wife sat at either end of the table. My father, who was sitting next to me, and my brother, who was next to Adric, had been invited to the dinner too. However, the three of them seemed intent on staying silent.

"So Aria," Crap, the predator has moved in on it's prey. "How long have you known Adric?"

"Since eh... School..." that was a good answer, or well I thought it was.

"Ah so you talked to him in school," She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Well, no, but I knew he went there." She didn't look impressed. I reached for a drink of water,

"So how long have you two been dating." Cute coughing fit and water going everywhere.

"A week..." Adric said,

"Two weeks Adric, two." I stated.

"That's what I meant." He said,

"Course you did Addie, course you did." Dinner continued in this fashion, Adric's mother asking me questions, always awkward. Everything was going polietly, until my idiot of a brother decied to butt in.

"So do you spend much time together?" I was about to answer when in came Leo.

"Well they do sleep in the same bed normally." Both Adric and I looked at him in horror, Angelo had a similar expression.

"Excuse me?" She asked no one in particular, she rounded on Adric. "She is fourteen!"

"Actually, I'm fifteen." I said glaring at her,

"Never the less, she's too young to be doing things like that!" Adric rolled his eyes, his calm demeanor returned.

"Oh relax, we didn't do anything. It's for her nightmares." he said,

"I'm sure it is." Leo muttered, Adric glared at him,

"It's the only reason we ever sleep in the same room, let alone bed!" He snapped.

"Prove it." My brother challenged,

"And how do you propose I do that? Let you join us?"

"Now really Adric, tell the truth for a change!" Angelo scolded,

"I **am **telling the truth, I **keep **telling the truth, why is it no one believes me?" was his reply, my brother stayed silent, probably trying to decide whether sharing a bed with Adric and I was a good idea.

"Look, he is. That's just wrong and gross on so many levels and this is deja vu." I stated, rather quickly.

"Well, moving on, how are you coping with life as a victor?" Septimus turned to me,

"It's... um... Victorious?" I answered, Adric facepalmed. "The answer wasn't that bad!" He just shook his head, I turned to his parents, "Your son's mean!"

In retaliation, Adric looked at my dad, "Your daughter's irritating."

"Your son's... A moron!"

"Well your daughter's a midget." I made an overexaggerated gasp,

"Take it back!" he shook his head "I am **not **that small!" He emphasised my height by mesuring it with his hand. I'm 5'2, which is already pretty small but when you add that to Adric's 6'3... I'm like a fly to him. I glared at him, "Well your abnormally tall so there." I said it in a childish tone, I knew I had.

"Maybe we should finish dinner up..." Septimus suggested

-o-O-o-

We were in Adric's house watching TV, all waiting to see what the annocement for the Quarter Quell would be. Pansy was sitting with Honeyman discussing 'important capital' stuff, my brother was having a debate with Adric and my father was staring intentally at the TV screen, just like I was. Everyone fell silent when the anthem played and President Snow took centre stage. He goes on and on about the dark days, the previous Quarter Quells but that wasn't what I was interested in, that was in the past. What I wanted to know was what will happen this year, what horrors will the tribute I need to help go through. A young boy steps forward holding out a box, Snow pulls out an envelope clearly marked '75' and opens it.

"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebles that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."

I froze, staring at the screen in horror. It felt like my world was being torn into tiny pecies, I couldn't go through it, not again. My movements were on automatic, I stood up and ran out of the house. My brain was blank, I just needed to get out of that clostraphobic house, I needed to go somewhere no one would find me. I ran to one of the empty victors houses, broke a window, in the process getting glass stuck in my hand, but I couldn't feel any pain. I went to the basement and then screamed, falling to my knees. It seemed to be the only thing I could do, screaming let all my frustration, anger and fear out. Tears were streaming down my face as I curled up in the fetal positon. The image of Thresh's death ran though my brain again and agian, but soon it formed into something else, something that sturck fear into my heart. It was no longer Thesh that was being torn apart by the mutts, it was Ardic. I closed my eyes tight, pleading with my mind to stop, pleading with it to stop with the torture it was putting me through.

Sometime had past and I stopped sobbing, I just stopped. I lay, watching the blood drip out of my hand in that dark basement. I knew I should get up, I knew I should go home, or at least back to Ardic's, but I couldn't find the strength to even lift my head. I didn't understand why the Capitol was doing this. What had we done to them? Why did they feel the need to put us through this? I bit my lip, I wouldn't cry again. I wonder how Ardic is coping. A pang of guilt hit me, I hadn't considered him, I hadn't considered the shock he was going through. I sat up, I had had my break down. Now I needed to pick myself up and move forward. Of course that was easier said than done.

Sighing I closed my eyes tight, breathing in deeply, trying to calm myself. Come on Aria, you can do this, you have to do this, you've come way too far to be broken now. I stood up and the pain in my hand suddenly hit me, I hissed and pulled the glass from it. It wasn't the smartest of plans, seeing as it made the pain my worse. I ripped a bit of my t-shirt off and wrapped it around the wound, it was quickly soaked in blood. I clambered out the window and began to walk back to my house.  
"Aria! Aria! Answer me, damnit!" Ardic's voice sound frantic, more guilt ran through me.  
"Adric! Over here!" I yelled, waved my good hand in the hope that were ever he was he could see me. Relief instantly hit me when I saw if red head of hair, he looked livid and frankly I didn't blame him. I closed my eyes, waiting for the shouting to start, but was shocked when I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me close.  
"Never do that to me again!" His voice was a mixture of relief and worry, but no anger was in it anymore. I hugged him,  
"I'm sorry, I just…I just need to think somewhere, somewhere no one else was." I could feel him rest his chin on my head, normally I would have complained, but a part of me was glad, he made me feel safe.  
"I get it, just don't do it again. You've been missing for hours." I nodded, then remembered my hand and pulled away. Ardic raised an eyebrow as I looked at him to check he wasn't covered in blood. That's when he noticed my hands current state. "What the hell did you do?!" He took my hand in his and unwrapped my make shift bandage.  
"Broke a window and got glass in it." I mumbled, I looked at it properly for the first time. Yay another scar to add to the collection, I'm such an idiot. Adric seemed to agree with me and began to walk toward his house, taking me with him. He sat me down at his kitchen table, muttering under his breathe about something. I looked around the kitchen and noted how surprisingly clean it was.  
"Pansy made me clean up since people were coming over." It was scary how he could read my mind, he sat across from me, taking my bloody hand in his and began to clean the wound. I hissed as whatever he was putting on it stung, but tired not to flinch, although it wasn't going well. "Angel, sit still."

"I'm trying to! It just stings…."  
"Well, now we know what happens when you decide to take your anger out on a window." I stuck my tongue out at him, and I swear he smiled. After a couple of stingy minutes, Ardic declared my wound clean and put a fresh bandage on it. "Do you want to stay here tonight, I told your dad you might."  
"Yeah, thanks." I hadn't slept in days and I seriously needed a nightmare free night. So I walked up the stairs with Adric and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Secrets

I was rudely awaked by Adric the next morning. He had gotten used to the fact I wasn't a morning person, so instead of asking me to wake up nicely, he shoved me out of the bed.

"Morning Angel, time to greet the day." He sounded cheery, it bugged me.

"Why are you so happy?" I grumbled, clutching the covers that had fallen with me close.

"Well, for these game we can be prepared, besides I got a good night sleep." His voice was cheery, oh how I hate happy morning people.

"Can't we prepare at a reasonable time?" I sat up crawling back into the bed and snuggling into the warmth of the covers. At least it was warm until a load of cold water was poured over me. I let out a scream and gasped as the cold water hit my skin, "What the hell was the for?!"

"To get you up, **obviously**," he said it in a tone as if a mother was talking to a very thick child. I grumbled all the curse words I could think of at him. "Get dressed or I'll tell Pansy about that lovely language you just used." I glared at him and took the spare clothes I had at his from the bottom drawer and went to the bathroom and changed. When I emerged from the bathroom Adric was tapping his foot impatiently.

"Hey! Don't blame me you're the one who threw water on me!" I said accusingly.

"Come on Angel we're going to be late." he said rolling his eyes and taking my hand dragging me to what ever hell awaited me.

-o-O-o-

Ok, I love my brother, well as much as you can love the big oaf, and I knew fitness was important to him, considering he was built like the incredible hulk. But making me run several obstacle courses and shouting at me several times can really make me dislike him. I don't know what was up with him, he was so ratty with me, so snappy with me. It was like that time when we were little and I accidentally broke his toy solider and he acted the same way. Tired, sweaty and hungry Leo called it a day, pushing his long dark hair out of his eyes.

"Head home and get a shower Aria, I need to talk to Adric." Leo said, I nodded and headed home. I stopped in my tracks, and cursed myself. I had left my jacket in Adric's room and my dad would kill me if I lost it, again. I redirected and went to Adric's house, smiling slightly as I realised he hadn't locked the door and made my way up the stairs. I was just picking up my jacket and putting it on when the door opened. I was about to call to him, telling him I was just getting my coat when it wasn't Adric's voice I heard, "Come on, don't you remember! how we felt about each other." It was Leo, what did he mean how they felt about each other? Wait, more important problem, if he sees me in Adric's room, I would be killed before I can even say Quarter Quell. So like any normal person would do in my situation I hid in Adric's wardrobe.

"Leo, leave it! We've been over this a hundred times, I. Like. Someone. Else!" Adric's voice was getting closer and so was Leo's. I opened the cupboard a tiny crack, they were standing on opposite sides of the room.

"How can you be so cold? How can you just stand there and pretend like we never meant anything to each other?" Leo's voice was hurt, it was written all over his face.

"Look, before my...you know...before them, we did but now, I've changed, I like someone else!" Adric sat on his bed, looking defeated. I bit my lip, it took every once of myself control not to go comfort him.

"I can't believe you! Who is the little slut!" I was taken aback, I had never seen Leo so angry.

"I'd be very careful what you say right now." Adric growled, his eyes flashed dangerously.

"I will say what I want!" Leo took a dangerous step closer to Adric, "You're the one who cheated on me!"

"You have **no **proof that cheated on you, you're just making assumptions! I don't want to be with you! Not now! Not ever!" There was a deafening slap as my brother's hand connected with Adric's cheek. Adric's mouth fell open, staring in horror at Leo. "And you wonder why I broke up with you."

"I **know **why you broke up with me, cause you found someone else! I wonder, how did they react to your little fling with Aria?"

"Why do you care? You haven't talked to me since I ended it with you!" Adric stood up, his voice rising,

"Because I care about you, I wouldn't judge you about the Aria thing! I'd stay no matter what, I bet whoever they are didn't stick around too long!" Leo put his hands on Adric's face, stepping even closer.

"Leo..." Adric sighed, leaning into his touch more from habit than want.

"I know you **think **you've found someone else but no one could-"

"Stop, just stop. I can't deal with this right now," Adric moved away towards the door, Leo grabbed his arm and spun him back around.

"I know you still feel it."  
"You're beginning to sound like a stalker." Adric muttered before pulling his arm away from Leo's grasp and stormed out of the room, Leo following behind. I snuck out of the wardrobe, my mind still in shock from the conversation, and clamoured out of the window.

-o-O-o-

I hadn't gone home, I walked around the town, my mind reeling. Leo and Adric. How had I never noticed this before? All those glances sent in Adric's direction at school, all the times he'd sneak out at night when he thought dad and I were asleep.

The conversation rang through my thoughts, 'I. Like. Someone. Else!' why was it those words? They made my stomach flip, I felt sick. It was like a bubbling feeling, that started at the pit of my stomach and then worked its way around my body. I was jealous ...wait! No! I didn't like Adric like that! I mean I like him, I like his laugh, his smile, the way he would hold me close at night...Aria snap out of it! He clearly had something for your brother. 'Ah, had, he likes someone else. That could be you?' A tiny voice in my head said,

"Yeah but not me," I mumbled, then stopped. What was wrong with me? Why was I acting this way? 'Because you like him, you like like him." The annoying voice said again. "Shut up! SHUT UP!" I yelled, suddenly realising I had said it out loud.

"Talking to your self is the first sign of insanity you know." Came the voice of the man who was troubling my thoughts.

"What do you want?" I hissed,

"What's gotten you into such a bad mood? Weren't you supposed to be going home for a shower?"

"Just leave me alone will you?" I yelled, Adric backed up with his hands up in surrender, "What's gotten into you?"

"I've just had a bad day, okay?"

"Maybe that shower would help you then."

"Yeah..." I trudged back to my own house and made my way to the shower, letting the warm water run over me. My supposed boyfriend has been having an affair with my brother for god knows how long and the world had been completely unaware. Had they still been together when Adric had kissed me? Was that why Adric broke up with him? Who was it Adric liked? Did this mean Adric was bisexual? I'd assume his mother didn't know cause she would freak at the prospect of her son cheating on his girlfriend with another boy, her personality being the old-fashioned one it is. I've just got so many questions running through my mind that I don't realize the bathroom has steamed up so much.

I spent the next few days avoiding Adric and Leo, that feeling I'd gotten, that jealousy, was something I never wanted to feel. I didn't even know why I felt it, I didn't even like Adric that way, it was all just an act. Pansy thought she should help us, she sent us tapes of all the living victors she could get her hands on. I knew Adric had watched them, I'd only watched a few. I figured I'd have time to spare on the train.

The reaping was coming up faster than I had hoped, everyone knew it would be me and Adric who were going back into the arena, no one else was eligible. Figures, the first year since I turned 11 that I didn't have the worry about the games and now I'm the only girl in my district who **is **eligible. Sucks to be me. I know I'm being selfish, I've probably brought this on myself, from all the things I shouted at the Capitol when I won, this is probably a punishment but Adric was a different story. There were very few who had seen his games, the word around town was that they were one of the gorriest ever played, and that's saying something considering these are the hunger games. Many refused to watch and many younger children weren't allowed. If Adric and Leo were dating at that point, how would Leo have taken the whole thing? They must have been bad for him to watch his lover go through all that and even worse for Adric himself, he can't even say the words out loud. I had been training alone all this time, Adric and Leo had been trying to talk to me, they couldn't work out what was wrong but I just couldn't look at them, couldn't talk to them.

When the day of the reaping comes Adric and I were put in a small roped off area, Pansy claws around the bowls and its no surprise when Aria Smith and Adric Petrelli are the names called out. I know I'm shaking, after going through my own games only a year ago, I don't think I could handle it. When I look at Adric I'm surprised, he doesn't look as torn up as I am. His expression is stony, his jaw clenched, his eyes filled with that familiar flame of anger.

In a matter of seconds we were being marched off to the Justice Building, my dad and Leo following Pansy around the back. Once we were inside the building, we were escorted straight to the train station rather than to say goodbye, someone said something about a new procedure but once we got there Pansy was waiting for us with my dad and Leo. Before I could even ask what was going on my dad had ran over and smothered me in a hug. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Leo drag Adric away from our small group, no doubt to argue with him again. Thoughts of Adric and Leo left my mind once my dad started talking.

"Come back home to me, I can't lose you, not when I just got you back." I could hear that he was choking back tears. I hugged him close, burying my head in his chest, breathing in his sent. My father, one of the few family members I have, one of the only people who loves me unconditionally. He was the man who would hold me close when I cut my knee and kiss it better, he was the man who would chase the monsters under my bed away, he was the man who would sing to me whenever I had a nightmare and he was the man, that no matter what happened would be strong. Seeing him this close to crying, seeing him so vulnerable, was what made me cling to him close and never want to let him go. "I'll always be with you, no matter what you go through." At these words, I clutched my pendant close and prayed to myself not to burst into tears.  
"I will." Was all I managed to choke out. Before I knew it I was being pried away for my father's safe arms and carted into a train. Once we were in the train I broke down, I didn't even know who was holding me. My knees gave way and I started to sob.

"Shh, it's alright angel." Adric's voice said. Of course it was Adric, who was I expecting? It's funny but Adric seems like a completely different person whenever I break down like this.

"How can you be so calm? We're going back! We're going back in **there**!" I practically screeched,

"I know, I know." He said, stroking my hair. We skipped dinner, the replay of the reapings and ignored Pansy's attempts to coax us out of my room. She yelled through the door that she's got it on tape for us to watch when we're ready but I don't think I'll ever be ready to face the fact that this is real, that I won't be coming home and if I do, Adric won't be coming with me. It must have been around midnight when Adric finally convinced me to watch the reapings, he said he wanted to see who he was up against. Unlike last year, I don't even attempt to remember who they all are. When Adric and I are called, one of the announcers gets a little teary, with our little love act and all. When twelve comes up, their escort has to pick the female tribute from the normal kids, rather than the victors seeing as they only have one. I wasn't feeling particularly tired, so I suggested putting on some of the tapes of old victors. Adric hadn't seen all of them yet so we watched a few, he'd been working backwards from the 73rd and had gotten down to the 52nd. We started on the 51st.

We managed to watch all the last of the games by around three, Adric decided we should get some sleep. I agreed but decided to put the tapes back in the box, Adric shrugged and left the room. Shows how much he cares.

I grabbed a few to put in the box but put them back down when I noticed another tape one neither me nor Adric appeared to have watched. I picked it up. This was the 72nd Hunger Games. Adric's games. The little voice in my head was back, 'you want to watch it, you know you do.' Could I watch it, if Adric caught me….I shuddered at the thought. But I wanted to know, what was so bad that happened? Everyone else seemed to know, so why couldn't I? 'Because you know it's wrong.' Another voice chimed in, I groaned. I did know that, but it couldn't be that bad? Could it? I mean I know Adric, he isn't a bad person… Not **really**. Sighing and sat back on my knees, why was I having so much trouble with this tape, I watched the other ones before just fine. I shook my head, telling myself it would be fine as I placed the tape inside ready to watch.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Cold and Heartless

The first thing that happened was the reapings, tributes were called up. I was beginning to understand why people said these were one of the most gruesome of the games, most of these tributes we Cato sized or bigger, including a few from the other districts like 11 or 7. Pansy came out to the stage when District 9 came up, she waltzed over to the girls bowl and pulled out the name of a tall girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, Mile Cross. Then she made her way to the boys. I never noticed at the time but it was as if the crowd **knew **who was going to be picked. I was a little unsociable, I never paid attention to what went on around me. I knew their names and that was it, not where they lived, not who they were friends with and certainly not anything that went on in their lives but as the crowd of 14 year old boys began to move I became aware that my unwillingness to socialize meant I'd missed a lot. This time though, I caught the glare Adric gave his father as he passed him, I caught the look he sent to Leo, this time I caught the reassuring smile exchanged between Mile Cross and Adric Petrelli.

The scene cuts from the reaping of district 12 to the chariots. To me, they didn't look so bad. Mile wore a golden dress with grain for the skirt, the skirt went down to her ankles and there was grain in her hair too. Adric himself had a suit of gold and white, grain in his pocket where a flower would be in the mayors sort of clothing. If someone just told me what he was wearing, I'd probably think he looked ridiculous but it kind of suited him. I guess Honeyman didn't like the normality, district feel to it. I'd assume they wore this sort of clothing because Adric was the mayor's son and that was the kind of suit our mayor wore. Next thing I knew, the interviews had started, they flicked through the other tributes, Mile looked like an angel in the golden-white dress she was given, Adric looked more like the devil with his red hair and dark suit. When Adric talks he sounds different, same deep voice but it lacked that tone that made him seem like he knew so much more than everyone, like he knew a big secret that no one else did. He seemed more... Natural and in a way, charming. The dark circles so often seen under his eyes were gone, clearly before his games Adric had been able to actually sleep. He proved that he could be both funny and determined, that he could be nice but not afraid to fight for what he needed. He was so much younger back then, it was only two years ago but he looked so much younger. He was like a different person, his words flowed freely rather than the forced conversations he had with people now. I'm beginning to wonder why Adric wasn't a part of the 'popular group' our school had. Was he in it before his games and I just hadn't paid attention? Had he really changed that much or was he just a much better actor than I thought? When the interview ended the scene cut to the morning of the games.

The arena is nothing like I expected, you could practically see the bloodbath before the games had even begun. At first all you saw was a wide open space, the only light came from a small sort of opening in the roof of a large cave. At a second inspection, you could see a series of tunnels, a few torches lined the edge of the tunnels, the flames flickering to give an eerie sort of feeling. The cornucopia stood dead centre, the same as it was in every games. But compared to their surroundings the Tributes looked like ants. It was hard to take it all in, how the darkness surrounded the light area. You're mind reeling at what terrors could be hidden within. The grass was stained red; you could see it standing out against the vibrant green. Was that there to just creep the tributes out or was there something sinister behind it? The cornucopia was gleaming, untouched. When the countdown ran out, the tributes raced in all directions. One or two just stood there, not knowing whether it would be worse to travel into the imminent bloodbath or the horrors inside the tunnels. Their decision, however, was made for them by those who had chosen to go to the cornucopia. The ones who didn't go to the cornucopia made for the only other place they could go, the tunnels. A few grabbed the torches lining the outside but most just ran in hopes that whatever was inside couldn't get them. Adric and Mile appeared to have made an alliance, Mile raced forward and grabbed one of the bags that were scattered around the edge and made her way to one tunnel as fast as her legs could carry her but stayed near the space as if waiting for something. Adric, to my surprise, ran straight into the bloodbath, dodging in and out between tributes, avoiding their swings and simply punching anyone who didn't very hard. Once he reached the cornucopia he seemed to know exactly what it was he came for. immediately, he went over to the large stack of swords and grabbed a set of two along with a double sword sheath. On his way out he grabbed a belt of knives and raced towards Mile, knocking a guy or two over as he went. It was strange really, to think that although these games are considered among the very worst, only 7 died on the first day, the usual was around half. These games didn't seem to have started out well for the Capitol despite it's potential.

Adric and Mile had set up a camp in the tunnels, near the cornucopia but deep enough that they didn't attract attention from the careers, who had set up camp at the cornucopia. It was a large open area filled with water and a few patched of rock, Adric pushed a rock type thing over the entrance to the water cave, it was light enough for you to move easily from either side, but that was providing you could find the rock to move in the beginning.

"What's in the bags?" Adric asked, waving the torch he'd acquired on his way in.

"Just a sleeping bag, some rope, a couple of matches, a pack of crackers,a pair of dried beef strips, a bottle of iodine and a water bottle, you know the usual." Mile answered. I watched as they talked for a bit before Mile went to sleep and Adric stood on guard.

As time passed, a sort of fog rolled through the arena, it poured in through the gaps in the wall of Mile and Adric's little cave. Adric didn't bother to move, as the fog came closer he started coughing, Mile woke up with a start as the fog surrounded her too. Adric's eyes narrowed as he noticed movement in the fog. The camera zoomed in on what looked like a sabre-toothed tiger.

"We need to get out of here!" Mile said, beginning to snatch their things and shove them in the bag. The tigers seemed to have come out of the fog seeing as there was no way in other than the rock, which was still in place.

"Really? I hadn't noticed!"

"There's no need to get snippy with me!" Adric rolled his eyes, the cat thing began to charge. Adric grabbed Mile's arm and dragged her towards the rock, pushed it out of the way and slammed the thing back in place behind them.

Days passed and more tributes died, Adric and Mile had a close shave with the cat creatures having barely managed to escape with Adric being thrown into the wall of the cave and Mile getting a simple bite, it wasn't bad or deep just a graze of teeth. Immediately after the bite, Mile became dizzy, she couldn't stand up straight and had to lean against Adric to support herself. She put it off as shock from being bitten by a tiger and having almost died but Adric seemed to think it was something more. It wasn't until the pair had a run in with what was left of the career pack that 'interesting' things began to happen. There were four of them left, both from district 2 (I think it was something along the lines of Lindy and Riven), the guy from district 11 whose name I honestly didn't catch, and the girl from district 4, I think she was called Coral. Was this what he did that was so terrible? Leave Mile at the mercy of them so he could win or something? Coral was hunched over, she clutched her right hand close to her chest, it was wrapped in a bandage with blood seeping through at an alarming rate. It was similar to the bandage wrapped around Mile's upper left arm, the point where the tiger thing grazed her. Coral was coughing and spluttering, she was skinny, very skinny, the skin you could see around the bandage was red and dry.

"You should kill her now, she'll thank you for it." She said, "**They **won't do it for me. I think they **like **my pain." Adric and Mile stared at Coral, Adric raised an eyebrow at the pair from 2 and the 11 male. The entire thing was weird, Coral was giving Adric advice on how to help his friend and the **careers **were refusing to kill someone. The same thought line seemed to be going through the minds of Adric and Mile.

"The tigers, their bites are poisonous." 11 told them,

"He takes some kind of sick pleasure in watching people in pain." Lindy said, pointing at her partner.

"As such, your friend here is safe for now. You on the other hand are not." The boy in question said, picking up his sword. Mile grabbed Adric's arm to move him away from the group, there was no way they could take on the career group. A small fight occurred, all who got involved came out with a fair few injuries but somehow no one managed to kill anyone. Adric and Mile escaped but both appeared worried about the words from Coral, having had a conversation about it later on. As the days progressed, Mile became increasingly sick, the skin around her left arm became red and dry, blood came pouring out of the wound at a rate it really shouldn't have considering the size of the scrape.

"She was right you know," Mile told Adric the night Coral's face appeared in the sky, "I think I'd rather you just killed me than live through the rest of this."

"You know I can't do that." he replied,

"And you know I'd have to die anyway. He'd never forgive me if I came home and you didn't."

"I don't care whether he'd forgive you or not."

"You wouldn't, you never do." After that, Mile continued to ask Adric to do something, anything, to stop the poison. He refused every time. She got worse, much worse, the girl couldn't move without making some kind of pained noise which made out running the other six tributes very hard. These games were gruesome, every death was excruciating, bloody and lasted a long time but they were more spaced out, the games lasted longer than most because it took so long to find them in the maze and actually kill them. Adric wasn't doing to well himself, his fight with the careers hadn't given him any **immediate **fatal injuries but left untreated, they would become fatal. He clearly didn't know much more than how to clean and bandage them. Mile continued to ask him to just kill her, to end it, but Adric wouldn't, said he couldn't, which contradicted what I'd been told about him."You think Adric cares about you? He's cold and heartless." Adrien had said, if he was so 'cold and heartless' why didn't he just kill her or leave her to fend for herself? She was slowing him down, using his supplies and he had to help her move everywhere, why was he bothering? Mile died after a close shave with the boy from 11, they barely got away and Mile couldn't seem to move at all. She fell, her head not hitting the floor because of Adric's arms getting in the way, her pupils dilated and the bandage on her arm was soaked with her blood despite the bandage having been changed a mere half hour before.

"I think it's about time, don't you?" she said, grinning up at him, "Been waiting to die for days."

"Stop it, you know if you just hold on the Capitol will probably have a cure, they must have. Just in case."

"Yes but then your dad would never talk to me again, he'd murder me and your mother would actually start being nice to me."

"It's good to know you'd care about my dying." Adric told her, a sly grin appeared on her face followed by a half-hearted giggle. He didn't cry when she did die, somehow I didn't expect him to. I just can't picture him crying. After the canon went off the scene changed. It was like a blur really, there was just so much blood. Adric killed every single person who was left in the games after Mile died, he personally killed six tributes not including the one whose neck snapped when Adric punched him a little too hard during the bloodbath. It didn't seem to matter that half of the tributes left were part of the career pack, didn't matter that they had been trained since they were children to kill people. Adric didn't seem to care who they were or if he even knew which district they were from, he killed them anyway. It was a little scary, to be honest, he had a cold, indifferent sort of look in his eyes after she died save for when he found another tribute. It was at that point his eyes would light up and the fire I'd seen after mentioning his games returned. No matter how big, strong or clever his opponents were, Adric beat them all, not even one game him trouble. Then came the final, just him and Riven.

The fight was so different to the rest, this time they were both so close to the end and neither was willing to give it up any time soon. They seemed to be evenly matched but then Riven pulled out a tooth, one from the tigers. Adric, of course, noticed it. He always does. Unfortunately there really wasn't anywhere for him to go, all he could do was try to avoid being hit by it. He did dodge it for the most part but there was a rumble and the tunnel they were in began to collapse, both boys raced through the tunnels, keeping one step ahead of the collapsing tunnel, until they reached the cornucopia. Riven was in front of Adric so the poor guy had nowhere to go, he couldn't stop or he'd be crushed but if he kept going he'd be at a disadvantage. Adric didn't stop running anyway and didn't seem even vaguely surprised when Riven pinned him against the outside of the cave wall, almost as if he were used to it. There was a struggle but despite Adric being stronger than he looks, Riven was stronger still. He managed to dig the tooth into Adric's neck, deep enough to draw blood but not at a point where he'd slit his throat. It would have been harmless enough if it weren't for the poison. Riven let Adric go and laughed, Adric himself nearly fell over, gripping the wall to hold himself up, his other hand flying to his forehead as through it would calm the dizziness.

"Whats the matter? Feeling a little faint?" Riven taunted as he grabbed one of the remaining torches surrounding the cornucopia. Both had discarded their weapons (other than the tooth) when the tunnel collapsed, meaning Adric was defenceless. Riven held the flaming end of the torch towards Adric, burning through his shirt and the skin underneath. Adric let out a gasp and moved away from the flame only to be pushed back by Riven, he struggled against him but the poison made fighting a particularly hard thing to do. Adric kicked him in the stomach, grabbed the torch and swung it around so it burned Riven's face, he then retaliated by swinging a punch in Adric's direction causing Adric to drop the torch. Both boys made to get the torch but it was closer to Riven who pulled the metal part of the stick containing the fire off, this revealed another piece of metal that was pointed and designed to hold the other metal part in place, the other end of the torch was just wood but it was also pointed. Riven swung the torch at Adric and another struggle began, if it weren't for the fact that I already knew who won I'd have bet on Riven. Riven had him cornered so that if Adric were to move forwards even a few millimeters the pointed metal would go into his side, yes it would probably miss all his vital organs due to the angle it was at but it would hurt like hell and make him too weak to really do much and then theres the whole blood loss issue. Adric had realized this, he glanced down and then up, he had that face on, the one he gets when he's come up with a plan that was either impossibly brilliant or exceptionally risky. Adric seemed to brace himself for something and then in one swift movement surged forward, fast and as hard as he could, letting out a groan of pain as the point pierced the skin. The result, however, meant that not only had it punctured his skin but Riven's as well only, the angle had cause the spike to go through Riven's stomach, destroying the **vital **organs found there. Adric managed to pull himself off the point and finish Riven off as fast as he could by pushing the spike through his skull, obviously Adric needed immediate medical attention and not just for the hole in his side, there was the poison and his nose looked like it was broken and a whole horde of other injuries the idiot had treated badly. He may have just won the games but the Capitol needed to act quickly if they expected to have a victor to crown. I think I understand why he hates his games, and I think I've just found another thing to be scared of. The way he acted, the things he was capable of... it was understandable now, I'm beginning to think Adrien was right, "He's cold and heartless.".


End file.
